


Machines

by zero_steady_go



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997), Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe, Anal Sex, Antagonist Sephiroth, Blood and Violence, Character Death, Eventual Smut, Graphic Description, M/M, One-Sided Attraction, One-Sided Relationship, Past Rape/Non-con, Possible Character Death, Rape/Non-con Elements, Romance, Sex
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-08
Updated: 2020-11-22
Packaged: 2021-03-03 18:37:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 11
Words: 49,620
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24610150
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zero_steady_go/pseuds/zero_steady_go
Summary: Something terrible happened to Cloud in Nibelheim. Now he's a SOLDIER at Shinra, but there's a predator on his heels. Can Zack save Cloud from the darkness of his past?
Relationships: Sephiroth/Cloud Strife, Zack Fair/Cloud Strife
Comments: 58
Kudos: 211





	1. Chapter 1

_All of us must taste death one day, Cloud Strife._

Cloud held his breath as he buttoned up his new uniform. 3rd class SOLDIER, new recruit, Cloud Strife.

It had a nice ring to it, but felt unreal all the same. It only felt like a second ago that he had been but an infantryman, trying to stay alive at missions, tailing behind SOLDIERs as something only qualifying as a meat shield. Now he would actually be able to show that he really was worth something. While he still had ways to go before becoming 1st class, at least now he could stand out from the crowd.

He leaned at a mirror in front of him, taking a closer look at the new green color protruding in his originally clear sky coloured irises. The Mako treatment he had gotten had been his first trial. It had been painful- the injection of Mako still burning in his blood vessels. Immediately after his injection, he had felt his muscles clench, as if trying to keep the new burning demon locked deep inside of him. It was like he had eaten the sun. The scorching in his chest spread to his abdomen and started to radiate to every peripheral areas of him.

A thought crossed his mind - there's no way this can be healthy for anyone.

He had lost his consciousness after what it felt like his insides had been microwaved for hours and hours. Once he had come to, the pain had subsidized and settled into a constant warmth in his veins.

Not everyone had even made it this far. After his treatment at Dr. Hojo's clinic, he had seen body bags outside of the door. Potential SOLDIER recruits, their journey cut off short before it had even started. Mako had been too much for them to handle.

 _All of us must taste death one day,_ Cloud thought to himself, _but at least from now on, my death won't taste boring and meaningless._

Cloud valued his life. He prefered waking up in the morning, feel air fills his lungs and vitals running strong. He enjoyed small things, such as drinking coffee with milk (or milk with coffee), feeling his heart hammer strong inside his chest and the occasional fresh breeze of breathable air originating beyond the Badlands around Midgar.

There was a knock on his door and without further ado, his roommate stepped in the room. Cloud didn't remember their name, after all, they'd just gotten the keys for this room after both of them surviving the first step of becoming a SOLDIER earlier that day. He had long pulled back blond hair and a constant toothy grin on his face above a tiny patch of hair on his chin. He also carried about him a strong smelled of motor oil.

"What a great day to be alive! I think I'm going to dance tonight. Maybe you can be my partner?" He exclaimed, propping himself on Cloud's bed, instead of his own. This made Cloud frown ever so slightly. The room was quite small and in addition to a looking glass and two small drawers, there were only the two beds. So much for privacy and peace.

"Ready for the ceremony Mr. Roommate?"

"It's Cloud."

"Yeah. Mine's Roche."

Cloud didn't know what to do or where to sit, now that his bed was occupied, so he simply leaned against one of the drawers below the mirror. He crossed his arms above his chest and looked downward, feeling the prying eyes of Roche on him.

Hopefully he wouldn't end up spending too much time in this tiny cell of a room. He had plans for exercising and honing his sword wielding skills, so he could become stronger and hopefully ascend fast from his current rank.

"Don't you feel awkward in this deep silence?" Roche lifted himself from the bed, and after two steps he was standing in front of Cloud. He was leering down at him, with his grin growing ever wider, "With a face like yours, the stay in this room cannot become boring."

Cloud's eyes widened in surprise and he collapsed backward, now sitting on top of the drawer.

Roche simply let out a laugh and shook his head, his wild hair flicking from side to side, "Don't look so surprised. You must get that a lot. You're very cute."

No, Cloud didn't get that a lot. Once in his childhood a friend of his had called him cute, but even that had freaked him out to no end. Cloud hated was being showered with unwanted attention.

Roche was coming closer to Cloud's face, evaluating every part of his complexion. Roche was quite a big man and even with the friendly grin, his eyes were full of mischief. It was almost intimidating to share a room with a person like him.

"Curious. You look quite soft. What did you do to get recruited as a SOLDIER?"

"None of your business." Cloud scoffed, "Back off."

"Hey, no need to be so uptight, my friend." Roche laughed, but pulled back and grabbed Cloud by his arm, "Come on, let's head out. I would hate to miss our own party. I can give you a lift."

* * *

The ceremony was held in Shinra Tower's second floor auditorium. The 3rd class SOLDIER dorms were on Sector 7 plate, so instead of commuting with the train, Roche had insisted that Cloud would jump in the back of his motorcycle. After trying to decline to offer first politely, then forcefully, Roche had almost run him over with his bike, practically forcing Cloud to hitch a ride with him.

He and his unrequited friend took a seat in the front of inclining row of seats, amongst the other fresh 3rd class SOLDIERs. There were not that many people present. After all they were _only_ 3rd class. The true SOLDIER legends were 1st class. They were the rockstars of Shinra, the masterpieces of hard training and engineering.

All of the new SOLDIERs were wearing identical blue uniform. Some of them seemed to be still reeling from the aftershock of Dr. Hojo's treatment, which was no wonder. It was something Cloud wouldn't forget either. And it was just the start. From what he'd understood is that SOLDIERs get occasional Mako injections and showers to keep up their powers. Most of the workings of Shinra were shrouded in mystery, but once thing was for sure- SOLDIERs weren't organically strong. They were doped up Mako beasts.

Cloud wasn't as much scared for the future of Mako treatments as he was stepping on the stage. He had an uneasy feeling in his stomach, as the president of Shinra appeared on the stage, the lights in the auditorium dimmed. He knew that after his short speech, it would be their turn to grace the stage.

The president tapped his fingers on the microphone to test the sound and get the attention of the small crowd. His crimson suit on him was something that any old man would wear, but the eyes sinking under a tall forehead and downward wrinkles around his mouth made him look like an old-timer villain.

"Welcome to Shinra SOLDIER 3rd class recruitment ceremony. I believe congratulations are in order… I'd also like to invite here with me the Director of SOLDIER, Lazard Deusericus. Lazard, please come on the stage."

Another man joined him on the stage. He was much younger than the president, and had an intelligent look upon his face. His middle-parted blond hair and eyeglasses with a suit jacket would have made him look like a professional in any kind of scenario.

Cloud had difficulties in following the speech. Whether it was the Mako afterglow or nervousness, he felt his gaze dropping to the hands on his lap. He had dreamt of this moment before, but that dream had not been very serious. As a kid, his mother would tell him that he was too short to be a SOLDIER. As a teenager, the other kids in Nibelheim would laugh at him for wanting to be a SOLDIER, because he was just a scrawny kid from the boondocks.

But he'd done it. He wondered if his mother would be proud-

Suddenly a sharp pain in his head made him gasp and press his palm against his forehead. He couldn't think of his mother. What happened in Nibelheim?

_The fire. A room full of books, collapsing._

" _The taste of death…"_

" _Why did you save me…"_

_A kiss, but also blood. A pact is made._

Cloud was startled back to reality as Roche had his long fingers dug on his arm, as he tugged at him to get up from his seat. Cloud scrambled to his feet less than gracefully, and joined the organized line of 3rd class SOLDIERs, moving towards flight of stairs at the side of the stage.

"Quit daydreaming Cloud," Roche whispered, "It's our turn to shine!"

Cloud pushed everything out of his head. He would have time to dwell on the past later. He was a master of leaving the past were it fell.

The spotlight on the stage was hot. Roche was standing on his left and a nameless new SOLDIER on his right, both of them had their back straight and their gaze fixed directly in front. Cloud followed suit, trying to gain an extra inch by extending his back, his vertebra filling with air.

He kept his face unmoving, but with his eyes he tried to inspect the people sitting on the auditorium seats. Their faces were shadowed, but suddenly Cloud's eyes were nailed to a person looking directly back at him. Cloud was put under a spell of two sharply Mako coloured eyes- those could only belong to a 1st class SOLDIER. The amount of Mako was literally radiating from those slim set of eyes.

At this point Cloud realized President Shinra was calling out names to give out a formal paper document recognizing them as a member of SOLDIER. He had just called out Roche's name, who moved to the center of the stage, next to President with confident steps.

After they shook hands and a short round of applause, Roche waltzed back next to Cloud, winking at the blond man while doing so. _Easy peasy_ he mouthed, before settling next to him.

"Strife, Cloud."

Cloud moved from his spot, trying not to seem like it was his first time walking. He felt the eyes of the SOLDIER behind him, as well as the eyes of everyone in the auditorium weight him down. It also occurred to him that the black combat boots he had gotten with his full-body uniform were a half-size too big for him, which made walking with confidence increasingly difficult.

Cloud swallowed hard, as he reached out for President Shinra's hand to get his paperwork, sealed in a gray envelope branded with Shinra's logo. He almost offered the wrong hand for a handshake, but corrected his movements quickly, hoping that no one saw that.

As he was almost done with the ordeal of shaking hands, he happened to gaze at the audience. And there it was again. Those Mako eyes. They were trained on him like he was prey and the Mako-eyed predator was just waiting for the right moment to come in for a kill.

The worst part was that from his current vantage point at the middle of the stage he could see also the other facial features of his predator. He resembled an actual deer, or other slender prey animal, as he realized _who_ exactly was currently plotting his demise with their eyes.

 _Sepiroth_. The first of the 1st class SOLDIERs. The living legend. The beast of the beasts.

Cloud backed away, afraid to turn his back at the audience any more. He's aware of the weird looks he's getting, but he's also unable to rationalize the fear that swept over him. He felt like he was out of his league, or worse, he had started to play a completely wrong game.

After what seemed like an eternity, Cloud was able to turn around and regain some of his dignity. He saw Roche look at him peculiarly and Cloud wondered whether his newfound "friend" had seen it too. Those hungry eyes, the 1st class SOLDIER on the hunt.

The rest of the ceremony went by uneventfully, as President Shinra was nearing the end of the list of names. The whole thing was ended by the old man repeating his gratitude for participants and the newcomers, telling them not to party too long tonight.

Cloud follows others down the stage and sighs in relief.

"That bad?" Roche's arm flung around Cloud's shoulders, "I know what'll cheer you up! A shot! Or beer!" He had his free arm in front of him, holding an imaginary pint in his hand, "Or don't tell me you're more of a wine guy? Midgar wine tastes so dry."

"I don't drink…" Cloud said under his breath, trying to convey his discomfort.

"C'mon, we need to forget what happened earlier today. Live in a moment. _Carpe_ fucking _diem_."

Cloud winced visibly at the cheesy phrase. He shrugged Roche's arm off and took a two good leaps to walk in front of the other man, out of his reach.

The other new recruits seemed to be in high spirits, their previous fatigue nowhere to be seen on their presence. Their laughter echoed in the grand entrance of Shinra Tower, where they had momentarily stopped to form a battle plan for the evening. Cloud looked up at the ceiling, which was too far up for him to see. The grandeur was all by design to make anyone who entered the building to feel small and incomparable to the miracles performed by Shinra corporation.

A small smile made its way to Cloud's pale lips. It almost felt as if he was in the presence of some higher entity, something that had a plan for him. His life as a SOLDIER… it wouldn't be thrown away without a purpose. Or so he hoped.

"Alright men and women, we're heading out to Sector 8 for beers!" Someone hollered to the rest of the group.

Roche nudged at Cloud to follow but he shook his head and declined the offer. Roche rolled his eyes but figured it was best for him to let Cloud go for now. He would only mope at the bar and ruin it for everyone.

Now left alone in the deserted lobby of Shinra, Cloud was able to have a moment of respite. He could see that from the two-storey high windows that encased the lobby the world outside was in darkness of the night. The train from Sector 0 to Sector 7 operated through the night.

Cloud began to walk toward the exit, his boots click against the marble floor echoing in the emptiness around him. But then, out of instinct, he stopped moving. The short and almost invisible hair at the back of his neck rose. He quickly spun around to see the source of static and threatening aura, but there was no one to be seen. He was alone.

Shaking off the feeling of dread, he quickly exited the building.

* * *

The train was almost empty. Cloud seated himself in middle of a row of seats, crossed his arms above his chest and closed his eyes. The cart swayed on the tracks as it made its way through Midgar, dashing through the city like a lightning shooting from the sky.

His thoughts wandered back to Nibelheim. His home.

It had been a couple of years ago that he had been on a mission. Back then, he had just an infantryman, sent along with some high ranking officials to make sure that they could work in peace. In other words, he was sent there to be the sacrificable Shinra dog in case things turned sour.

Cloud hadn't been too worried, because it was his hometown. Even though Shinra wasn't that highly regarded in Nibelheim, he was certain that no one would try to attack or cause any form of hinderance.

" _Sephiroth_." Cloud gasped quietly and suddenly sharp pain pierced his head once more. _How could I forget. Sephiroth was there._

As an infantryman he hadn't been filled in on the details of the mission itself, but what he remembered was that it had been very uneventful. He had basically sat in a library of sorts for days to no end. But he hadn't read anything, just kept watch as others had been working. Well, "others" mostly consisting of Sephiroth.

Cloud's forehead wrinkled as he tried to recall any actual encounter he'd had with the older 1st class SOLDIER. It was as if there was a black fog where the memories of Sephiroth were supposed to be. No matter how much he tried to pry through the mental locks and blockages, his efforts only increased the pressure building up in his brain.

The only thing that came after the library was the fire. The inferno of flames licking up the buildings of Nibelheim, swallowing Cloud's home completely. He had tried to go in and save his mother, but the supporting structure of the house had collapsed in front of his eyes, bringing the house into nothing more than a pile of firewood.

There was nothing left of Nibelheim. It couldn't have been a normal fire, because absolutely everything was obliterated, even the bones of people who had met their fate in the collapsing buildings. It had to be Mako infused fire. Perhaps something to do with the Reactor close by to Nibelheim. Cloud couldn't tell, and he didn't want to think of the possibility of foul play.

 _Everyone… is gone…_ Cloud thought to himself. It was just him and Shinra. Him as a SOLDIER. His only family now being this electric power corporation. The place and people who had made Cloud into the person he was today was gone. His existence was now solely depending on him.

Cloud gave up reminiscing with a groan and his elbows fell to his knees, as he bent forward in his seat. Sadness was a strong companion and the loneliness following in its tow was hard to swallow pill of poison.

Cloud stood up from his seat when he heard the announcement for his station approaching. He moved to the doors and gazed at his reflection, setting on top of the scenery of Midgar in the window.

"Cloud."

Cloud's eyes opened wide. There was now an intruder in his reflection, standing tall behind him. But it wasn't only a reflection, a hand slammed on the closed door in front of him, the length of the arm touching the side of Cloud's face. A cascade of silver hair, those Mako eyes and that solemn, non-revealing look on his face.

"Sephiroth…" Cloud whispered, but the sound came out of his mouth more like a moan of forced pleasure.

The figure behind him pressed closer. Cloud could feel his back involuntarily arching in to the touch of the other man when the distance between them was reduced to nonexistent. He felt like he was under a strong enchantment, when one hand came to rest on his forehead, pulling his head against the leather of Sephiroth's uniform.

"Welcome home, Cloud."

Cloud's hands were free, but he was trapped. Sephiroth pushed them closer to the door, his full weight on Cloud. There was an undeniable hardness pressing against Cloud's lower back, and as a man himself, he knew what that meant. The way the hips pushed into his back told tales of desire and unsatisfiable lust.

"Let me go…" words pressed out of Cloud's mouth with great effort, "What do you… want…"

Sephiroth's face buried in Cloud's blond spiked hair, his nose inhaling the scent of him. It was something his mother would do, but now that innocent gesture was tainted with perversion and shame by this man. He then lifted his gaze and moved his hand from Cloud's forehead to his chin, forcing him to look ahead at the view of Midgar, stretching out in a sea of lights and metal structures.

"Midgar. This is just a place where we get started, Cloud." Sephiroth spoke, his fingers quietly moving around Cloud's neck, "If you allow me, I can make you strong. We shall rule not only this city, but the planet. It can all be yours."

Cloud swallowed hard. His attempts of freeing himself were cut short. The strength of Sephiroth, whether natural or because of Mako, was absurd. And it wasn't just the physical strength, but there was something beyond that. A barely audible glitch in a low frequency amidst the static that made Cloud feel like he needs to surrender and give up the fight.

"I can show you to the Promised Land."

And just as fast as he had appeared, Sephiroth disappeared. Cloud collapsed on his hands and knees on the metal floor, gasping for air. The train came to a halt and the doors slid open in front of him.

 _A taste of death_ the words came back to Cloud, and he thought, _is this what it feels like?_

Cloud made it back to his dorm room without any further incidents. He clicked on the light, which was a sole light bulb hanging low from the ceiling. It flickered in agony before fully turning on and illuminating the bare room in a pale glow.

As Cloud kicked off his boots, a grim thought crossed his mind- as a high ranking individual Sephiroth most likely knew where he lived and what his daily schedule with Shinra was. It would be virtually impossible to avoid encountering him even in his normal everyday life.

And something told him that this wasn't going to be last of the jumpscares the tall SOLDIER would give him. He wasn't even sure if there was anyone he could report this behaviour. As far as Cloud understood, Sephiroth enjoyed a lot of freedoms and held a lot of power because of his unprecedented history of war victories.

But other than that, Cloud didn't really know who Sephiroth was. And he had absolutely not the faintest idea what he had done to attract the attention of this silver-haired individual. Or how to make it stop.

He didn't want to even think of what could become of him in case he ran into him again. What did he want with him? Cloud touched his neck where those long fingers had pressed against his skin, in a mock strangle. Funnily that man needn't even choke him. His mere presence made Cloud's lungs shrink and air leave his system.

Did he actually want to kill him though? A chill ran down his spine. He probably had something even more sinister in mind. But he was a SOLDIER… that must mean he couldn't be evil, despite his menacing appearance and his physical advances. Someone _must have_ looked at his mental health and performance and given him an approval to be part of Shinra.

Cloud had an increasing amount of questions but no answers. But if there was anything positive in his current miserable state, Roche was nowhere to be found in the tiny room they shared, which meant he was probably still out with the others. Secretly Cloud hoped that he would never come back.

Wearing only his sweatpants, Cloud crawled under the thin duvet on his bed. He curled into a ball and closed his eyes. He pulled the duvet over his head, now hiding in his secret lair. It would hopefully protect him to the morning and help him recover from the day.

Maybe once he woke up, he'd be back in Nibelheim. The fire, death and loss were all a dream. Sephiroth was not after his skin.

If only.

* * *

The morning came and Cloud woke quietly from his dreamless slumber. He lifted the duvet and slipped out of his secret lair to notice Roche had found his way home, and was sprawled on his bed with his clothes on. He was snoring and the smell of motor oil was now overrun by the stench of old alcohol.

Feeling sorry for the passed out drunk, Cloud grabbed Roche's bed cover and placed it on top of him. He told himself he wasn't being soft, but the last thing he wanted was his roommate to be sick and coughing in their shared living space.

Cloud grabbed his toiletries and exited the room to visit the shared bathroom at the other end of the hall. The red-carpeted floor dampened his footsteps, while the sound of snoring 3rd class SOLDIERs was not silenced by the walls thin as paper.

He went about his morning routines quickly and dressed himself in his uniform. It was Sunday, typically he would have a day off, but he had been booked with an assessment with one of Dr. Hojo's assistants. A routine check that all new SOLDIERs would have to undergo sooner or later, so he figured he'd do it sooner.

After being done with his morning rituals, he dropped by his room. Roche had stopped snoring but Cloud was positive he was still alive. He didn't go to check, but instead grabbed his boots and headed out the door.

The morning air outside was as fresh as it could be, which means not very fresh. The exhaust fumes and Mako made the air quality on the Sector plates fairly unbearable. It is the smell of a civilization that never sleeps. A city that operates day and night without it's lights ever blinking and dying out.

The train was much more crowded than it had been last night and for once that made Cloud immensely relieved. Previous night's events still fresh in his mind, he took a standing position near the exit, holding onto a handrail on his side. The metal city of Midgar seemed more intimidating during the day when there were no bright lights to soften the edges. It was just tubes of metal and blocks upon blocks of concrete.

Cloud exited the train at Sector 0 Shinra corporation station. And there stood the king of all metal and concrete structures in all of Midgar. The Shinra Tower. Its erect tower standing tall, like a dark lighthouse overlooking the world around it. Cloud had never been at the top. Hojo's clinic and laboratory were quite far up, but it could be the highest he'd ever go. Only the President and his most trusted employees ever went all the way up there.

It was relatively quiet inside Shinra Tower. A youthful-looking receptionist nodded their head and smiled at Cloud as he entered using his own keycard.

Cloud made his way to the elevators. He had to wait a while for the elevator to come down- it was 70 storey building after all. Though this elevator would only take him up to floor 59, from where one would need to switch elevators.

Cloud pressed the button for floor 59 and reversed to lean against a handrail attached to the tall glass panes that made up the walls of the elevator. The fast upward movement made air congest in Cloud's ear and forced a yawn to clear his eardrums. The elevator soundtrack of the day was a melancholic piano tune which Cloud would forget the moment he stepped out of the elevator.

50… 51… 52…

At this point, Cloud started to experience a weird sensation. It was the kind of sensation he'd get if things were too quiet and _too_ normal which in turn would give space to the tiny voice in the back of his head saying _watch out, get down, danger_.

Cloud tried to grasp for his gun, which he forgot he no longer has. He still hadn't obtained his new service weapon, so he was just carrying a small switchblade for self-defense (to be honest, he had pocketed it this morning in case he was to run into a certain 1st class SOLDIER).

When the elevator came to a smooth halt, Cloud had his fingers on the switchblade in his pocket. He took a confident step in front of the metal doors. It was the Shinra Tower, he didn't understand why he would get this sensation in a place like this. It should be safe, people came to work here every day. But something was off. He was sure of it,.

But as the doors began to slide open, a gloved hand pushed through and forcefully opened the doors rest of the way. Cloud had his battle stance in full swing, but he wasn't prepared for a man to collapse on top of him.

With a surprised gasp Cloud fell back, now a landing pad for another human being. Cloud's mouth was full of black thick hair as he crashed and collided with the floor. A huge sword, almost the size of Cloud, landed next to his head.

What he felt on top of him was a pile of muscle and sweat. For some reason Cloud felt incredibly flushed by their positioning on the floor- the man situated in between Cloud's legs and the hoarse breathing in his ear.

"Man down, man down!" The man half-laughed, as he pushed himself upward slightly, bringing his face up just enough that they could now see each other, "Kidding. Nice catch!"

Cloud didn't have any time for love so he never paid attention whether other people, men or women, were attractive. But it must have been these close quarters that he was experiencing with this broad-shouldered stranger that he found his face very addicting to look at. His strong jaw, the strong yet kind eyes and an easy half-smile made him look approachable yet leaving a sense of mystery.

This person must be the kind of guy who everyone likes. He's the one who brings laughter with him wherever he goes, just by that smile that hid behind a person who wore a heart on his sleeve.

Cloud flushed and knew he needed to address the situation before his thoughts could reach lower regions of his body. He pressed his palms against the muscular chest above him, trying to usher the person to roll over and away from him. But as he did so, he realized that there was something warm gushing out of the man's chest. Cloud tried to look down, as much as he could in his current position.

"You're bleeding." Cloud noted.

The man seemed to be disappointed as they rolled with a groan to his left and let Cloud go from underneath him. He coughed a little, and it seemed like blood was also in his lungs and coming out of his mouth.

 _He's really hurt_ , Cloud understood, as he grabbed him by the shoulders and helped him to sit against the wall. A hole had been punctured in his chest, almost in the middle of his torso. It was a fountain of red, a telltale sign that if nothing was done, this man would be done for in a matter of minutes.

"Can you nurse me back to life, doc?" The man grinned, even though he was losing blood like crazy. Cloud arched his eyebrow at him, wondering if he was not scared at all.

"Why are you laughing?" Cloud asked in absolute awe.

"That's me, Zack Fair!" A small laugh, followed by a cough of blood, "I laugh in the face danger!"

Cloud watched the dark red liquid drip down his chin, as an even wider smile was founded on this man's face. Zack Fair. He knew that name. A recent 1st class SOLDIER, a masterpiece of engineering and strength.

_What an incredible beast._


	2. Chapter 2

Cloud pressed his hands on the gushing wound with all of his body weight, but Zack was alerted by something and brushed him aside. Cloud began to complain, but Zack hushed at him.

At that moment Cloud heard it too - a rattle coming from the hallway outside the elevator. It was like ten pairs of legs had hammered the floor in a perfect unison, one leg directly after another. If a centipede had been the size of a truck that's the sound it would make.

Zack leaped to his feet and elbowed the button for closing the elevator doors. He held his chest as he picked up the rectangular sword from the floor. It looked like it weighted nothing, as he spun it in his hand to get a better grip at the leather strapped handle.

"C'mon! Stay dead for once!" Zack yelled, as he cast a quick healing spell on himself.

"What… what is it?!" Cloud asked, as he brought out his switchblade and flicked it open with a snap of his wrist. He almost dropped his blade because his hands had become slick with Zack's blood.

Zack gave a quick sideward look at the tiny weapon in Cloud's possession, "Wow, great. Ready for a playfight SOLDIER?"

Cloud felt embarrassed.

"Stay here, I'll take care of it."

Zack rolled out just before the elevator doors closed. Cloud leaped forward, just in time to have his switchblade between the closing door. He pushed his palms between the two metal panels and forced the safety mechanism to reopen the doors.

Cloud had imagined a centipede earlier, and much to his dismay he wasn't fully incorrect. There was a long-bodied creature that was either made out of metal or was wearing a heavy armour to protect it's vulnerable core. Almost too big to fit in the hallway, despite the high ceiling, it was standing on ten razor blade legs. They were supporting its elongated middle that was armoured in spikes that must have been the source of injury for Zack.

But the most disturbing part was the face. It looked nothing like centipede. More like… a human.

Zack was already running along the wall, attempting to blindside the metal worm. When he reached the tail, he jumped and lashed the last section of its body away. But before the loose end could even hit the floor, a green light shot out and rebuilt what had been lost. Only it grew back twice as long, also giving life to one pair of new razor blade legs.

"What the hell Hojo, what have you created this time!" Zack shouted, as he jumped in the air to dodge a counter attack, a whip of the tail from the monster. It tried to turn around in the hallway, but it's movements were somewhat halted by an escalator in the middle of the space.

"Stop cutting it!" Cloud yelled.

"What are you doing here, get out of here!" Zack groaned, "I've got this!"

Cloud's voice had caught the attention of the monster. It was surprisingly fast in its movements, as it slithered toward Cloud. Its small expressionless human face in the middle of it's metal head looked like it was bored of the tirade and wanted to get rid off both of them as fast as possible.

Cloud slid down on the floor to dodge its lunge, the sharp legs cutting the marble floor where they landed. When it noticed it had missed the target the centipede started to move sideward, trying to catch Cloud with the long spikes poking out of its armour. It came crashing down on its side like a clumsy animal directly next to Cloud.

Trying to predict the next move Cloud kept on the floor, his switchblade secured in his hand. There was no way that his tiny blade would even leave a scratch on its metal protections. If only he had brought just _anything_ bigger with him, he could at least hit the monster or keep it at bay.

"Oi, Mister Worm!" Zack tried to regain the monsters attention, flailing his arms in the air, "It's me you want! I was the one that tried to kill you before!"

But it was to no avail. Those lifeless eyes were trained on the young blond SOLDIER. Cloud kept rolling on the floor, dodging the claws and spikes that rained down at him. As the worm lifted its head to slam its whole body on Cloud, he saw a sparkle of green in its underbelly, where the metal head was bolted to the rest of its long shape. The green hue was not metal, it looked more like a ball of Materia attached to flesh.

 _That must be the weak spot_ , Cloud could smell the Mako fueling this creature when it once more came down on him.

"It's under it!" Cloud exclaimed, as he was able to finally scramble onto his two feet, "The weak spot!"

"Hey, watch out!"

The moment of victory was turned into a sullen defeat when the monster jumped at Cloud. He came head first with the metal of the centipede's body, knocking him off his feet and back on the stone floor.

His prison was between the sharp legs and the torso of metal. One of the razor sharp legs had landed close to his face, tearing the skin on his cheek and leaving sharp cut in his flesh. He wouldn't have noticed the cut if he hadn't tasted the rusty taste of blood in his mouth. He glanced up and realized he didn't have much time before he would feel the weight of this metal worm-centipede-snake on him.

Cloud realized the finishing move was about to happen. He took a hold of his switchblade with both of his hands. The Mako was leaking out below the metal head, he must get to it. He aimed, raised his hands and prayed for the best.

When the monster was about to coming down with all its strength, Cloud's blade sunk into its soft flesh like a knife in butter. The creature wailed in agony and reversed its movements, twitching back and giving Cloud more room to breathe. The blade was now forever stuck in that abomination.

"Nice work!" Zack was running along the back of the monster, keeping his balance even when the creature wriggled and squirmed, "Now move back!"

Cloud nodded quickly and crawled on the floor, trying to dodge the blades and spikes that were now uncontrollably swinging in the room. He wanted to put as much distance between them to strategize and plan out his next move.

But just as Cloud thought he was in the clear, his upper arm was caught in between a sharp blade and wall. He turned his head to see that the face on the creature was no longer without an expression. Those iris-less eyes were now staring at him with fury and absolute endless hatred. Cloud froze in the spot, his palms pressed against the wall and his back facing his executioner.

He had never seen anything like this before. Was this creature a human or a machine? Or both? Did they not want to die, or were they furious for facing a momentary defeat by a blade just a fraction of their monstrous size? Cloud didn't know what level of consciousness the monster had but for a brief moment he saw himself in those angry eyes and recognized a familiar need.

 _The need to survive_ , Cloud thought, as a mighty shadow was cast over him, _no one wants to taste the death_.

Cloud gritted his teeth as he focused on trying to pull free. He grabbed the blade with his free arm and tried to detach the blade from his arm only ending up cutting his fingers with the fine razor steel. He yelled in pain and frustration as pushed and pulled, but could not escape. He tried to push away from the wall, the blade that had pierced him only cut him further when he moved.

 _Is this it?_ Cloud thought, his vision blurring, _is this all I was good for?_

The creature came down screeching. Cloud instinctively pressed his face against the wall and covered the back of his neck with his untrapped arm. He filled his lungs with as much as humanly possible, waiting for the blow to hit. He wondered how it would hurt- would it be a sharp piercing pain, or dull pressure that would crush his insides. Neither one of them sounded appealing, but the agony of the wait was worse than the pain that would follow.

Except it never came.

Everything else had died under Cloud's screams, until only silence followed. Cloud's captive arm was released and it fell limply down against his side. Without a moment of hesitation, he spun around and saw his saviour hovering above him, the sword cutting the face and torso of the monster in half.

Cloud breathed out at the scene in front of him. It looked like a hero slaying Leviathan, with Zack holding his sword up in the air with his muscled arms and his legs apart in a strong stance. Streaks of blood ran down his arms, but he looked _divine_.

The quiet was broken by the creature falling on the floor for the last time, their life energy draining out in a stream of green Mako.

Cloud looked back up at the back of that dark spiked hair. His heart was paralyzed. This man had saved his life.

"Hey, you alright there?"

Cloud hadn't realized that Zack had turned around and was now kneeling down next to him, offering him his hand. Those eyes were radiating with honest worry. But Cloud couldn't understand why- Zack was hurt so badly himself.

"I'm okay." Cloud retorted, but gasped and grabbed his arm when he tried to move.

"That looks like it must've hurt. That huge creature on top of you was a scary sight." Zack said and placed his hand on the wound. A sparkle of green and white evaporated from his hand, as he used his healing Materia to provide first aid to the wound.

"You should heal yourself…" Cloud said, looking at the wound in Zack's chest, which honestly looked much better already than before. The amount of Mako in Zack's blood must help him to heal these _minor_ injuries much faster.

The healing spell was warm on Cloud's skin. It was very much unlike Mako directly injected in his veins. It felt more like a warm hand massaging his insides and releasing pent up pain.

Zack was done patching his arm, "How does it feel now?" He brushed at the gush on Cloud's face, wiping away blood from his face, "This one doesn't look that deep, it should heal on its own nicely."

Cloud found himself involuntarily leaning into Zack's touch, before he realized what he was doing. He had never been touched quite like this before.

"Hey…" Zack noticed Cloud's reaction to his touch, and decided to lighten up the mood by saying, "I looked like a hero back there, didn't I?"

Cloud looked at him blankly, before his poker face melted and he chuckled.

"Don't laugh!" Zack grinned and puffed his chest, "You can thank me later!"

"Thank you." Cloud said with a small smile.

"What's your name?"

"It's Cloud… Cloud Strife."

Zack stopped to stare at Cloud and they shared a prolonged wordless moment. Cloud saw the colour of Zack's eyes shift to a darker shade of blue. An unspoken tension sprung between them like a bubble that was about to burst. Cloud's insides were functioning only partially, making him feel both sick and light-headed.

Eventually Zack blinked his eyes and shook his head, "Okay, we need to skedaddle and call someone to clean this mess up."

Zack took his new friend Cloud to the 49th floor infirmary. The healing Materia would only slightly patch up his wounds and take the pain away, but he assumed that the blond man would need more medical attention. It would be a shame if this new recruit would have his arm falling off because of sepsis.

* * *

The nurse gave them both a long hard look, asking if Zack needed any help too. Looking down at his chest, Zack noticed his wound already healing. His Mako duped body was not going to let something this small get to him. The nurse shook his head and told them that he'd go and fetch some painkillers and bandages for both of them, leaving them alone in his office.

"Hey, I'm sorry, I've gotta run." Zack said, as Cloud sat down on a bed inside a nurse's office.

"That's okay."

"About what happened upstairs…" Zack straightened his back and rubbed the back of his neck, "Let's keep it between us and the higher-ups, okay? That creature apparently got out because someone pressed a wrong button in Dr. Hojo's lab."

"Sure."

Zack stared down Cloud once more. This man was drop dead gorgeous. And Zack wasn't kidding- when he had landed on top of this smaller SOLDIER, he almost couldn't get his head back in the game. Another sucker punch of his charm was when he looked up at Zack with those big eyes after they had defeated Mister Worm (not the creature's official name, Zack hoped).

Cloud's semi-permanent small pout and that very serious look were outlandishly beautiful. Those lips were just begging to be kissed and Zack wanted nothing more but to run his hands through his wild hay-coloured hair.

It was unfair. Zack was just a man and there was only so much he could do to resist. He felt animalistic as his blood started to flow south. _C'mon Zack, this is not like you_.

Mind over matter, Zack Fair. Cloud didn't look like someone who would be won over with swooning and puppy dog eyes.

Speaking of Cloud, he was taking off his shirt now. It was quite dirty and covered in thick layer of blood, both his and Zack's. The thought of their blood mixing on Cloud's shirt felt like they had formed a pact, signed with blood. Now Cloud was stuck with Zack, for good or bad.

"Before I go… " Zack wanted to a ask a question that had been on his mind ever since the battle started, "Why didn't you run?"

Cloud pursed his lips, "You were hurt. I thought you wouldn't make it."

Zack laughed, "Do you know who I am?"

"Yes. SOLDIER 1st class, Zack Fair."

"So you think 1st class SOLDIER couldn't handle one worm?"

"I didn't know what you were up against… and that wasn't any tiny worm. " Cloud frowned and looked away, embarrassed, "I don't know, my feet moved on their own."

Zack's smile couldn't have gotten bigger. Cloud was not only headstrong, but also cared for others more than he let in on.

It was an epic mental battle for Zack to keep himself from hugging Cloud. This was so terribly _unfair_.

Sighing in defeat, Zack bid his farewells to Cloud. But this wouldn't be their last encounter, as Zack was sure fate would bring them together sooner rather than later. Or if not fate, his own eagerness to see him again. Sometimes one needed to be the one to nudge fates in the right direction.

Come to think of it, it all had played out too perfectly to be a coincidence. This absurd bug incident, Cloud in the elevator and Zack saving him after their heated battle. It was like out of a story where the world lays itself out perfectly for two people to meet and be together.

A major part in this fated storyline was that Zack was the kind of guy who would plunge head first into danger and complete a mission without a second thought. He would let someone else figure out the morals and politics. He was a man of action. His best friends were his instincts and his muscles.

Hence he was woken up at an ungodly hour to deal with issues at Dr. Hojo's lab. They really needed to find more qualified laboratory assistants so that this thing wouldn't happen again. Thank the Goddesses that it had been only Mister Worm that had gotten out, and not the werewolfs or those dark lurkers, whatever they were.

Only a select few at Shinra knew everything that went on behind the curtains. Zack wasn't one of those select few. But what he knew was that Dr. Hojo did not much care for ethics when it came to his research. Even though Zack was told that the test subjects were never live humans or animals, he highly doubted that statement. But it was the pretty print on the label to make people feel good about using Shinra services.

But none of that mattered. Shinra's doings had enabled him to meet Cloud. His new friend… or something even more? Zack didn't know yet, but he was eager to find out.

Zack found a quiet corner in the 49th floor, also known as the SOLDIER floor. He took out his phone and waited for a call he knew was about to happen in any minute.

As quickly as he saw an incoming call, he placed his phone on his ear.

"It's done. Mister Worm is done and defeated."

" _Took you long enough._ " Tseng's bored voice was on the other end, " _We evacuated Dr. Hojo and also took care of the assistant responsible for the accident. We're also working on a cover story of why one of the windows exploded on the 60th floor._ "

"No further casualties?" Zack inquired.

" _No. Only structural damages. Well… if you don't count one missing laboratory assistant._ "

"What even was that thing? It didn't look like any of Hojo's traditional pet projects."

" _He's experimenting some kind of new drug it seems. To enhance SOLDIER performance. This accident was somehow related._ "

Zack rolled his eyes and rubbed his temples, "You know I was supposed to be sent out on a mission today. Instead you call me to take care of rodents here at Shinra Tower. This is supposed to be an equal-opportunity-safe-environment workplace. I don't think we will get that recognition this year."

" _Well, I'm sure no one will find out after we are done._ "

Zack deliberately didn't mention Cloud's involvement in the case. It would have only complicated things. Potentially even put Cloud in danger. And even if not in danger, in the spotlight. Someone could notice him and start to wonder how a shrimp like him even had a fighting chance against Dr. Hojo's monsters.

Zack smiled at the thought. There was something really special about Cloud, and it was gradually dawning to him. Despite his small height and intimidating presence, he had a yet to be realized strength in him. And that was so damn sexy.

Zack briefly forgot he was still on the phone with Tseng, "Next time you really owe me. All of you Turks."

" _Until next time then._ "

Zack put away his phone. His mission to Wutai border had been cancelled and they had sent Sephiroth instead because of the ruckus that took place at the Tower. At first he had felt sad to miss the opportunity to go out in the field, but now, he was more than happy to have a couple days off.

Zack touched his torso, now covered in blood and sweat. If he wanted to impress a certain one young recruit, he should at least clean himself up.

* * *

Cloud was quickly patched up by the nurse, who was also kind enough to run the tests that Cloud had initially come to take. The nurse had drawn some blood and taken some of his measurements, before letting him go. He also gave some gauzes and painkillers to take home, saying that Cloud might need them during the night after the rush of adrenaline had subsided.

The nurse didn't ask any questions regarding Cloud's injury. Zack must have told him some cover up story or maybe it was a given that they never asked any questions. Cloud appreciated nonetheless, because from what he understood is that he was definitely sticking his nose up in none-of-his-business area.

The day had turned to evening while Cloud had kept busy at Shinra's premises. He reached his dorm room after dinner time, missing the food served at the dorm cafeteria. Not that he was too hungry.

Roche was still lying on his bed, this time his eyes open and focused on a magazine hovered in front of his face. He turned his head at Cloud when he entered the room.

"Oh, you still exist! How happy that makes me." Roche said overly dramatically. His bloodshot eyes were a signature sign of a heavy hangover.

Cloud scoffed and removed his combat boots. He changed his dirty shirt into a plain white T-shirt. After that he wasn't sure what to do so he just simply sat down on his bed.

"Wait a minute." Roche shot up as he saw the heavy bandaging around Cloud's arm, "What the hell happened to you?"

"Oh, I…" Cloud realized he didn't have any fake narrative ready, "I just… kind of… got into a fight."

"What the hell? Who in their right minds would fight a SOLDIER? Unless it was another SOLDIER? Or Wutai spies?"

"I didn't ask their names. But I dealt with them. It's okay."

Roche looked sympathetic, "What a bad timing. We get our new weapons tomorrow. They would've been 3rd class minced meat if you'd had your new sword."

Cloud half-smiled and just nodded his head. He took a more comfortable position on his bed, pulling his legs close to his chest as he leaned his back against the wall.

"Speaking of swords- guess what I did today?"

Cloud shrugged his shoulders, having no idea of what Roche had been up to all day. Frankly he didn't even care that much, but he supposed that he was about to learn about Roche's day in either case.

"I joined Sephiroth fanclub!" Roche said proudly, "I heard that if you join a fanclub of 1st class SOLDIER, you'll get all sorts of benefits, ranging from exclusive training material to _very exclusive_ gossip! Perhaps even private training from that said SOLDIER!"

"A fanclub…" Cloud repeated, but omitted the SOLDIER's name.

"You should join too."

"No thanks."

Cloud realized that Roche hadn't seen the side of Sephiroth that he had seen. To him he must look like an outstanding individual with great wartime accomplishments. The ultimate showcase of power and Mako-engineering. That was what most of the young recruits wanted to become. _As strong as Sephiroth_.

"Uh, hey…" Cloud wasn't sure if he wanted to start the conversation on Sephiroth, but decided that he might as well, "What do you know of Sephiroth? Outside of him being a recognizable figure here at Shinra."

Roche held his chin as he thought, "Well… I've heard that he is really dedicated at what he does. There's some higher motive that he seems to be after - like world peace or saving the planet. He is very powerful, but there's a rumour that he's looking for something, _or someone_ , to make him even increasingly stronger. Can you believe that?"

Cloud swallowed, "I wonder…"

"But hey, shouldn't you know him very well?" Roche asked, "You went to Nibelheim with him. You were one of the infantrymen accompanying Sephiroth, and actually the only one to ever return from Nibelheim outside of a body bag."

"Y-you know about that?" Cloud was taken aback by what Roche had just said.

"Everyone knows, dear. Well, as much as there is to know. The mystery fire, started by a local rebel group or god knows what. It was sad thing. Though we lose so many infantrymen every day that it was no surprise that most of them never came back."

Cloud didn't remember the other infantrymen. He only remembered the library, his home, the fire, the collapse of houses around him. The blood, and burnt wood, flesh and then… emptiness. How could he forget all the relevant things? Did something happen between him and Sephiroth? Why was he the only one to survive the fire?

It didn't sound like a coincidence to Cloud.

"Now that I think about it, that must be the reason why they recruited you. Like I was asking you earlier- why were you recruited. You're so cute and soft."

Cloud frowned at him, "Stop saying that."

"Ahh, but it's true!" Roche stretched his arms and flopped back on his back on the bed, "Cutie Cloud. It's only a matter of time you'll be eaten alive here. That's why you should join the fanclub. It's at least a group that can stand with you and protect you."

Cloud wasn't afraid. He just took down a giant Mako worm. Well, he did get some help. But in either case, a few bullies wouldn't ruin his day.

"Maybe Sephiroth isn't quite your style though - how about joining Zack Fair's fan club?" Roche mused, "All the ladies love him though. You'd get eaten alive by the competition, not by any external threat."

Cloud blushed at the thought of Zack. But he refrained from humouring Roche by engaging in his fan club ponderings.

"Speaking of being eaten alive…" Roche said with a smirk, "Who the fuck is that behind our window?"

Cloud turned his head towards the window and was genuinely surprised by what he saw.


	3. Chapter 3

Cloud opened the small slide-up window and was greeted by a smiling face of none other than Zack Fair.

"Yo!" The older man winked and gave a two-fingered wave.

"What… what are you doing here?" Cloud asked, "It's the fourth floor…"

"Oh is it? Didn't notice. I must be that tall."

Cloud let out a small nervous laugh. He looked over his shoulder at Roche, who pretended to be reading his motorcycle magazine, but he knew that the glamrock haired roommate was listening very intently.

"Missed me?" Zack asked.

"We just saw each other…"

"Damn. Not the answer I was hoping to hear."

Cloud stared into Zack's eyes and wondered if the other man also felt their stomach go around at the sight of him. Probably not. He most likely just wanted to make sure he wouldn't snitch on Shinra for having giant rodent problem at the office. Zack seemed to be a very company faithful man. And a ladies favourite nonetheless, as Roche had just mentioned prior to his appearance. Someone like Cloud wouldn't stand out in the roster of romantic candidates.

"Hey, I was wondering if you'd mind meeting me up at the roof? I have something urgent I need to discuss with you." Zack peeked over his shoulder and saw the roommate, "Umm.. SOLDIER related business."

"I'm a SOLDIER too. Name's Roche." Roche quipped, "And hello there 1st class Zack Fair. Don't worry, I won't tell a soul you visited our room. Sephiroth fan club is at war with Zack fair fan club so it'd go against my personal interests."

But Cloud wasn't so sure Roche wouldn't let his whole Sephiroth fanclub know. All the same, it wasn't illegal for 1st class SOLDIER to meet up with 3rd class ones. Granted it was weird that they would come knocking on the fourth floor windows, but still, not illegal.

"I'll meet you up there." Cloud said as he slid the window closed.

Roche gave Cloud a wink and went back to reading his magazine. This man's know-it-all attitude annoyed Cloud. And it was just day two into their life living together.

"Don't tell your fanclub about this." Cloud asked, almost begged.

Because if Sephiroth's fanclub would knew… would Sephiroth find out? And did it even matter? The only thing Cloud was terrified of was being assaulted by the man again. Chills ran down his spine, as a sudden recollection of those cold long fingers snaking around his neck blew over him. It was sure that Sephiroth wanted much more than friendship. He wanted something deeper and darker, something hidden under Cloud's skin.

Cloud wore his slippers as he went upstairs, all the way up to the roof. The door to the rooftop was rusted but unlocked, so with a heavy shove Cloud was able to push it open. The flat rooftop sported a couple of garden chairs and empty beer cans. Piles of cigar buds must have been left behind by SOLDIERs looking for a place where to smoke in peace.

The air was warm, but the breeze had a hint of winter in it. It was still early autumn, and the winter on the plates were typically relatively warm. Cloud hugged himself, as he felt his nipples getting hard after a stronger wind blew past him.

Zack was sitting at the edge of the roof, his legs dangling off the roof. His hair was pulled back more neatly than after the fight. Cloud had kind of liked that tousled up look of Zack, when he had undergone sweat and thrill of the fight. He wished they could go on missions together. Cloud wanted to see him like that again- standing with his sword held up in the air.

Cloud sat down next to Zack, putting some distance between them. He fixed his eyes at the scenery of setting sun, the clouds and exhaust in the air a vivid colour of red and orange.

"Hey." Cloud said, avoiding Zack's eyes.

"Hey you." Zack countered softly, "How's your arm?"

"It's already a lot better. Thanks for saving me back there."

Zack shook his head, "Not at all. Thank _you_ for fighting with me."

Cloud blushed. Fighting _with_ Zack. That's a thought he liked. Team of him and Zack.

"To be honest, I was very surprised. You almost took that thing down with only that tiny knife of yours." Zack was staring at Cloud, his eyes begging for him to return his look, "You're really strong Cloud. I can see that in you."

It was a compliment Cloud hadn't expected to hear from a person who had saved his life. Especially someone as strong as Zack. Whatever strength he had in him could never rival his. Cloud looked at Zack and his well-defined body. Even those muscles were something that Cloud would never be able to grow on him, no matter how hard he trained and how much he ate.

"Did you want to discuss something?" Cloud pressed as he felt himself getting flushed by the thought of Zack's skin, "And don't worry, I'm not going to tell anyone about the monsters running free in the office."

"Ahhh… I'm not worried about that at all, I trust you. But did I have something to discuss…?" Zack trailed off, "I suppose I just really wanted to see you again. Is that bad?"

"Is that bad?" Cloud repeated, not knowing what to say, "I don't know… I suppose it's okay."

Zack gave a hopeful look in Cloud's direction, "Does that mean that you wanted to see me too?"

Cloud wanted to say yes, but fear took over him. He had never felt this way. His breath had never been caught in his throat in this manner, nor had his train of thought ran ever this fast, jumping to so many conclusions and investigating probabilities. He was scared of saying something wrong, or saying nothing at all, and end up in a place where Zack would look at him with disgust or disappointment.

The only audible and conclusive thought ringing in Cloud's head was _I wish Zack would just tell me I'm okay_. He would give anything for a simple brush of his hand on his cheek, just like had done earlier. Any kind of affirmation that Cloud was _alive_ and that he wasn't alone.

Cloud bit his bottom lip and noticed his nipples had become hard and visible under his white T-shirt. He turned to look at Zack and realized he had seen him in this state, with his eyes half-lidded, redness gathering on his cheekbones and his nipples prickling visibly under his shirt.

What would be the probability of Zack feeling the same kind of sweet sick longing?

"I, uh…" Cloud had already forgotten Zack's previous question. He needed to regain his composure, this was beyond shameful.

Zack was frozen in time. He didn't move or say anything for a good while, and Cloud became afraid that the worst possible outcome had come true. He had seen Cloud in his vulnerable flushed state and felt disgust that this young man would so openly show this side of him.

"I'm sorry…" Cloud muttered, "It's just tiny bit cold in here."

"What are you sorry for?" Zack cleared his throat, "I mean, I don't mind." He paused to look at the sunset scenery, "It's nice to just sit down for a while. And do nothing in particular."

"Do you go out often? To missions?" Cloud asked.

"Yeah. I really like it out there, being in the field with your mates. Makes you forget about stuff."

Cloud wondered what kind of stuff Zack wanted to forget. But he refrained from asking. It didn't feel appropriate.

"You know what… I think it's fate that brought us together."

Cloud smiled wearily, "I'm not sure I believe in fate."

"Sometimes I'm not sure either." Zack looked up at the sky, "But I have this feeling that this means something else. There's a longer story arch for us to play."

Cloud shrugged his shoulders.

"Or maybe it's just wishful thinking!" Zack brushed his knuckles against Cloud's shoulder to push him playfully, "Didn't mean to freak you out, Cloud!"

Cloud was far from freaked out. A small sadness had taken residency in the corners of his eyes. It wasn't sadness that he felt when he wanted to cry and scream at the world. This feeling was the knowledge of exhaustible nature of time. Cloud wished nothing more than to put more seconds in a minute and extend this special sunset moment between them.

"Well, I suppose I should get going. I'll see you tomorrow, okay? Here at the rooftop…" Zack motioned at their current hangout, "I mean... only if it's alright with you?"

"Sure. I'll be here." Cloud said, his voice shaking and weak. He hated how those words came out.

Zack smiled and inched closer to Cloud. He propped his long arm behind him and without touching Cloud, he leaned in closer.

"I really like this shirt you're wearing. Can you have it on you tomorrow as well?"

Cloud turned his head to see whether Zack was kidding or not. He was not. And his face was close, almost close enough for their noses to touch. Just an inch closer and Cloud's lips would meet with Zack's. But the inch was like a lifetime away and Cloud turned his head away, not able to go through with the motions.

And just like that, Zack was gone. He had grabbed the downpipe and slid down, exiting the same way he had come.

Cloud's body went limp and he doubled over. He brought his fingertips to his lips, wondering why was he feeling like this. There was something about Zack- something that stretched beyond their first meeting and the heat of the battle. It was like a friend from previous life, or a dream that became reality.

Cloud was uncertain what these surging emotions inside of him meant. But he was certain already missed Zack's presence. Tomorrow couldn't come fast enough.

* * *

Zack cursed all the way back to his room in Shinra Tower. It was unnerving to drive his motorcycle with his rock hard cock pressing against the seat.

Finally back in his room, he didn't bother to turn on the lights as he sprawled across his bed. A ray of moonlight lid the small studio room through thinly parted curtains. 1st class SOLDIERs had the luxury to have a small apartment of their own in the Shinra Tower. Though the room was nothing flashy, it had everything Zack needed. A small bathroom, kitchen corner with portable stove and fridge, a mid-sized bed and a TV set.

He let his hand fall down and rest on his hard on, as his thoughts went back to what had just taken place.

Cloud wearing that shirt, those small nipples pushing through the fabric, that sultry look all over that small face of his. Those small lips, slightly parted, then the pearly teeth biting at the bottom lip. It had taken every last bit of self control Zack had left not to tackle Cloud and tear off that damn shirt.

Zack let out a groan as he caressed his cock over the fabric of his jeans. He was so hard, harder than he had ever been with any (lady) before.

And silly him, only going out there for having a friendly chat with Cloud. He should've seen it coming from miles away how this boy would be the death of him.

Zack closed his eyes and imagined Cloud's naked skin. He imagined wrapping his fingers around the hem of his pants, and pulling them down. His skin so very pale all over, even the colour of his penis would be close to that of untouched snow. He would stare at his beauty and imagine going inside of that body, feeling the warmth and tightness around his own pulsating desire.

He dreams of bringing Cloud close to the edge of release multiple times, but not letting him come. Only after he begs and cries in pleasure against his chest, he lets him come. At that point Zack can't imagine what kind of expression he would have. It's beyond his wildest imagination. The thought of giving this pleasure to Cloud is enough.

The thought of Zack inside of Cloud, satisfying Cloud's desire for flesh was the pinnacle of eroticism. It was the end goal and the reason for ever being intimate with anyone.

With a heavy moan, Zack shamelessly stroked himself. His ultimate release, a thundering force that shot through his body arrived fast. His eyes rolled back, a hum in his ears deafening all other sounds. He kept coming and coming, his body no longer belonged to him, but owned by this phantom of Cloud in his lucid dream.

Zack laid there for a while, his eyes closed and keeping a strong hold onto the image of Cloud. The image became tiny bit clearer now that he was not chased by lust. It was accompanied by a memory of his small, timid laughter.

"Now that was surprising." Zack laughed out loud, discovering more about his sexual desires in five minutes than over the course of his previous dating life.

Zack opened his eyes and rested them at the ceiling. What an animal he had become. He is a SOLDIER, not a hormonal teenager.

He pulled his half-dead being up from the bed and went to take a shower. The water ran hot down his neck and spine, as he propped his forehead against the white tiled wall. He needed to stop thinking about Cloud and find something else to occupy is his mind if he wanted to stay sane.

His semen fell down his inner thigh and was washed away along his other sins. With that came a solemn notion- what if Cloud would never feel the same? Zack was a guy, Cloud was a guy. Both were SOLDIER. And Zack was not the best with words, sometimes too eager and the other times lacking sensitivity. Those were reasons enough for Cloud to walk away for good.

Zack smacking his fist against the tiles. _Fuck it_ , he thought, _I'm not going to give up. This is fate. We are meant to be._

" _I'm not sure I believe in fate."_ Cloud had said with that small upward tip of his lips.

 _Oh, I'm going to make you believe_.

With that conclusion, he turned off the faucet with a half-smile.

* * *

After a quiet masturbation to the thought of Zack, Cloud started to cry in his pillow. The release now soiling his hands opened up a part of Cloud's head that he had tried to suffocate. The memories he had tried to put down like a sick dying animal. But the painful ones never went away- they just simply lay dormant and waited for a moment to resurface. Why did those memories surface at a time like this?

He thought of his mother first. Her touch on his temple, as he would come home with a frown on his face.

 _What's the matter, Cloud?_ She would ask, _Come on, no need to cry my baby. You will always be my number one first love!_

Then he thought of his best friend- Tifa. She must have died in the fire as well. They used to get in so much trouble as kids, getting in fights and sneaking out in the middle of the night. She was always there for him. But no longer.

Why did they have to die? Their lives had meant so much to Cloud. There was so much more for them to experience. So many more laughs, fights and casual moments to share. But now those moments were stuck in the past, in a place Cloud couldn't reach. If only he could bend time and go around, to see his mother once more. He would press his head on her lap and just listen to her sing whichever song was stuck in her head at that time.

The fire that had taken everything from him had not been started by a local rebel group, Cloud was sure of that. It was more complicated than that. And the reason why Cloud had survived while others perished had not been by chance.

And look at him now- pretending to be a SOLDIER. No rank would fix what had been lost. If there was such a thing as fate, the card dealer of Cloud's destiny was a cruel one.

Because their death did not happen to them, it happened to Cloud.

Cloud didn't sleep. Roche kept snoring in the neighboring bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is tiny bit shorter so I'll upload the next one soon :) Hope you like it!


	4. Chapter 4

"Would you look at that!"

Cloud looked up from his new sword at Roche, who was swinging his sword with ease. His sword was long and slim, a traditional gladius. Cloud's service weapon was bigger and thicker, more reminiscing the sword Zack carried around. It was also heavy, so he would have to swing it around with both of his hands on the handle.

"Wanna have a go at it?" Roche asked with a gleeful look, "A dance of swords! What a lovely display that would be!"

"Sure. Outside?"

They exited the armory and went outside to a small clearing behind the Shinra armory. A patch of dried out yellow grass was surrounded by a couple of empty benches. That's where they took their battle stances, staring each other in the eyes.

Roche holds his sword like he had been a fencer his whole life. Cloud's technique is much more rudimentary. He holds the sword and swings it, the weight of his body moving fluently with the sword. The Mako in him is giving him strength to wield such a massive weapon. He could feel it already becoming an extension of him, his best friend in a warzone.

Roche went for the first blow, poking the sword through the air, his body sideways following behind. Cloud sidestepped away from the steel. He lifted his own sword, but he was still quite slow and by the time he swung it at Roche, the man had spun around and flanked Cloud.

"Too slow, princess." Roche kissed Cloud's cheek lightly from behind.

Shocked, Cloud jumped back and gave a downward swing of his sword at Roche. The two swords met in the air, wrestling for strength and seeing which one would give in first under the pressure. The steel screeched and scratched in the battle for dominance.

"Did you just kiss me?" Cloud breathed out, fighting against the strength of Roche's sword on his.

"What, does that bother you?" Roche smirked, "Didn't bother with your Zacky boy? I'm jealous!"

Cloud's balance was thrown off by the comment and he had to pull back. Roche took advantage and jumped forward, attempting to deliver a piercing blow at his opponent. Cloud blocked it just in time, by raising his sword to shield him. He pushed his hand against the blade of his sword, holding Roche at bay with his sword-shield.

Roche's smiling face came hovering above Cloud. His eyes had an underlying craziness and hunger for adrenaline. This man was born for battle and for riding motorcycles. Probably also for some darker desires as well.

Cloud inhaled a deep breath and with all his strength, pushed Roche away from him. The man had to backpedal to dodge the massive sword flying through the air. Cloud straightened his posture and waited for the next move, ready to counter.

The swords flung in the air and clashed, while Roche laughed like he had never laughed before. It was truly a dance more than a sword fight, with Roche forcing Cloud to maneuver in spirals and swaying back and forth while the other one circled him.

Cloud felt himself enjoying the mock battle as well, as he thrust forward with his sword leading the way.

"SOLDIER 3rd class, Roche."

Both of the men dropped their fight at that moment and turned to look at Lazard Deusericus. The director of SOLDIER, a man who had also been briefly introduced to them during their recruitment ceremony the other day. He pressed his eyeglasses back against his nose and folded his arms above his chest.

Roche saluted the director, "Sir."

"You are to be sent on your first mission. Meet me at my office ASAP."

Cloud and Roche exchanged looks. The reality set in for both of them. They weren't here just to kid around. They were here to perform a function, be the muscle and force when needed. There was a war about to happen in the border with Wutai and any day they could end up there, in the frontline. Or there was a rebel group in the city that needed to be dealt with.

Whatever they would face, it would mean danger in one way or another. Cloud could tell that Roche lived for this kind of thing. And an excitement was now clearly visible on his face, as he hastily bowed his head and fell in line with the director.

"What about me, sir?" Cloud took a step forward, "When's my first mission?"

Lazard turned around to look at Cloud, evaluating him with his eyes.

"I don't have anything for you at the time being." Lazard said, but there was something weird in the way he said it. It sounded like at the time being could be a really long time. Cloud wondered if they didn't trust him with missions yet.

"Hey, I'll bring you souvenirs sweetheart!" Roche winked and waved at him.

Cloud wondered if Roche would be the same when he came back, or would the reality change his cheerful personality. Would he see death and suffering, would he even have to kill someone? That's a sure way to leave a dent in anyone's personality.

Cloud watched the retreating back of Roche. For his sake, he hoped that he would keep his heart safe and sheltered, so the weight of the world wouldn't crush him.

Suddenly Cloud remembered the fire again. That fire had changed him, killed him. Only the death of his personality was only temporary, until he was born again in the same flesh and bone, but as a different person.

Some memories were not worth dwelling into. Cloud decided to actively push this memory down where it came from, as he readjusted the sword in his hand and began swinging it. Even though this weapon was clearly made for him, he had a long way to go to become a master of it. But he was determined to learn and once he was sent to his first mission, he would go wielding his weapon better than any other SOLDIER.

-

Cloud practiced with his sword until his arms felt like giving up. He went to return his weapon back in the armory, as he wasn't allowed to carry it around before his first mission. He placed it in the weapon's rack, under a nameplate that read his name.

As he turned to leave, there was a dry chuckle that echoed in the air.

"Amazing characteristics… that scent of Mako about him…"

In the corner of his eye Cloud saw a man with long white lab coat and thin black hair, wrapped in a ponytail. At first he didn't realize the man was talking about him.

"Cloud Strife… what a promising individual. He did not lie when he told me he'd bring back something extraordinary."

Cloud turned to look at the man and to his surprise, saw Dr. Hojo's leery eyes staring at him behind a rack of guns. The doctor was tall and had barely any muscle on him. His lab coat looked like it needed a wash and there was a very pungent smell of sweat about him. Cloud wrinkled his nose, even though he knew he shouldn't show his disdain to this highly esteemed doctor of Shinra.

"Dr. Hojo." Cloud acknowledged the other one's presence, "Can I help you?"

Dr. Hojo's smirk grew wider, "Oh, yes. Yes you can. And you shall. Once I can get my hands on you, we shall do marvelous things together."

Cloud was taken aback by Dr. Hojo's sharp words.

"Your blood is a promise of a prodigy." Dr. Hojo turned to leave, "But right now I cannot do anything. It would put my life in needless danger. I have to wait until the moment is right."

Cloud wasn't sure if Dr. Hojo spoke to himself or to Cloud. The doctor made his leave with small steps, holding his pointed chin deep in thought. A set of shivers ran down Cloud's spine. None of the SOLDIERs liked dealing with the doctor not only because of his uninviting appearance, but because he was also rumoured to conduct borderline unethical experiments on his subjects.

Cloud needed to really start watching his back.

-

After the encounter with Dr. Hojo, Cloud's day went by in an uneventful manner. He had spent a good while reading about Materia and studying battle tactics. Before he came back to the dorm, he had stopped by one of the ramen stops by the station and eaten a bowl of hot noodle soup. It was one of his favourite food places on the plates, he would visit it even when he was an infantryman.

He walked towards the dorm when a first drop of rain fell on his nose. He stopped and looked up at the overcast sky. The dark clouds were moving fast and came together to form cradles of rain, ready to pour down on the metal city Midgar.

Cloud picked up his pace and made it back indoors just in time when the rain hit the hardest. Everything was oddly quiet in the dorms, even though it was after working hours. Cloud wondered if everyone else also got missions that day and were sent out.

In his room, Cloud thanked for the peace and quiet. Roche's bed was neatly made and it would remain so for at least a couple of days. There was a motorcycle magazine peeking from under his bed. But something else caught his eye as well.

Cloud went down on all his fours and pulled out a Shinra poster from under his bed. It was a shiny image of Sephiroth, standing with his back turned to the camera. His long silver hair was contrasting against his long leather jacket, caught in a barely existing gust. His head was tilted sideways, which brought attention to his strong facial features- the lengthy structure accompanied by slim eyes and elegant long nose.

His ridiculously long katana, Masamune, was in his left hand, it's tip resting on the ground next to him. That weapon was intimidating. How could you ever win against that advantage in length?

The visible eye of Sephiroth's sideward glance was focused on the camera lens and it felt like it was looking directly into Cloud's soul. Chills ran down Cloud's spine, as he felt like he was being watched through the image of this predator.

Feeling uneasy, Cloud quickly stuffed the poster back under Roche's bed. This time he put it facing down, just in case.

Cloud looked out the window and realized it was getting late. The downpour of rain was ongoing and showed no signs of an end. The roof would be flooded.

I wonder if he's really coming, Cloud mused, as he pulled out the same white T-shirt he had been wearing the day before. Would it be weird if he complied with Zack's wish and wore the same shirt again? Or should he show some decency and put on a proper, long-sleeved shirt this time?

Cloud removed his uniform and slid in the white shirt. If Zack made fun of him because of that, he could always say that he had no other casual shirts. He slapped his forehead gently when he found himself overthinking it.

He found his slippers by the door, and grabbed a leather jacket (he wasn't sure if it was his or Roche's, as it only had Shinra logo on it). He could use it as a shelter from the rain.

He went up the stairs and to the door leading to rooftop. He hoped he would see Zack already there, seated at the edge. His black hair would be soaked wet, the water streaming down his arms and face. If he was sitting there it would mean Cloud meant something to him, because he had braved the weather and came to see him.

But he wasn't there. Cloud stood in the doorway, looking at the empty rooftop. Drops of rain were dancing on the concrete surface of the roof. It was bad weather, no wonder he wouldn't come.

It's still early, Cloud told himself, he's on his way, I'm sure.

Cloud stepped in the cold rain, pulling the leather jacket over his head. His toes touched the water as his slippers sank in the ponds of water. The world was drenched and pitiful. As far as Cloud's eye could see there laid a man-made metal wonder, shielding another world under it. The world of less fortunate- the slums.

Cloud couldn't envy the life in the slums even in this weather. The rain was only a worry for the rich and privileged. The poor would live their simple life in eternal drought.

The spot that Zack had occupied yesterday was empty. Literally anything could've come up and made Zack miss out on their meeting. Work, family, friends calling him to hang out. Or just sheer avoidance of rain. A meetup with a random acquaintance must have fallen quite far down on the list of todos.

Cloud stood there for minutes that accumulated into an hour. The rain did ease up after two hours, but at that point he was already wet from his spiky blond hair all the way to his toes. Three hours passed and Cloud felt an uncontrollable shiver shake thorough his body and he sneezed. He hoped not to get sick.

A rattle coming from the side of the building made Cloud's heart leap to his throat. He's finally here! He thought, his previous uncertainty swept away. He dashed to the edge and looked down.

But he saw only a black cat, jumping up and down a fire escape.

"It's not him." Cloud said out loud, "He didn't make it."

The black cat heard him speak and looked up. He let out a mewl gently as a greeting. It has blue eyes, just like Zack. But it was nothing but a cat, not the man Cloud had wanted to see.

_Zack couldn't make it_. Something had come up, or maybe it had been the weather. Or there was a roadblock, or the trains had stopped running. Maybe another pest appeared at Shinra Tower. A million things could have taken place and Zack didn't even have his number to call, so he couldn't even inform of any change of plans.

But even acknowledging this, Cloud felt disappointed. It wasn't like he was stood up on an expensive date or that he'd put a lot of effort into their meeting. It was meant to be casual, just hanging out at the rooftop kind of thing, but somewhere along the way Cloud tricked himself thinking that no- this is something more serious. Not just friends hanging out, but a start of something new and exciting.

Cloud went back indoors. His soaked slippers slapped against the wooden floor as he slumped back to his room.

He took off the white shirt, which was now soaked. He set it up to dry by the window, hoping that it would be dry by tomorrow night. There was always tomorrow, a new day. And maybe that day would bring Zack back to him.

-

The following two weeks fell into a strangely organized structure. Cloud would wake up in the morning, go out for a jog and take a shower. He would then join a group training for 3rd class SOLDIERs who weren't out on missions. The training consisted either of physical exercise, weaponry or classes regarding Materia and their usage, first aid or Shinra studies. He was able to focus on all of his studies fully and found out he really enjoyed learning more about Materia.

What slightly bothered Cloud was that he saw others come and go in his classes. Clearly these people were going on missions, some of them returning sooner rather than later. It felt as though everyone else had assignments to do, while Cloud was endlessly training and going to classes.

After the mandatory activities, he would go back to the dorm and have dinner at the dorm's humble cafeteria. He would go to his room, lay on his bed for a moment and try to clear his head. When he felt calm and collected, he would put on his white shirt and go out on the rooftop.

He typically waited around three to four hours. Sometimes the black cat would jump up to the roof and sit by him, both of them sitting there and looking at Midgar in silence. Cloud started to bring some cat treats with him, and he would place them next to him. The cat would eat them up and allowed Cloud to pet its long thick fur afterwards.

After the first rainy night, the nights had been gentle and on the warm side. Cloud could survive sitting there wearing the thin white T-shirt.

Fourteen days since Cloud had seen Zack. He hadn't even caught a glimpse of him in the Tower or on the training grounds. The Zack fanclub (yes, he also had one) had no idea where their dark-haired muscle man idol had gone. They told Cloud that it's normal though, SOLDIERs had the tendency of going underground or on long missions on which they couldn't be reached.

So it could all be normal. Cloud just had to sit tight and wait. Zack would return. Or somehow send him a signal that he was alive and well.

That day Cloud had just returned back from his mandatory activities and dinner at the dorm's cafeteria. He was now at the part where he would go to his room and lay down for a while.

He opened the door and noticed immediately extra life in the room. It was Roche, finally back from his first mission. He was sitting on his bed, his arms folded and eyes closed, in a meditative stance.

"Oh." Cloud was surprised, "You're back."

Roche's eyes opened slowly and he looked into Cloud's eyes. He was the same man for sure, his blond hair pulled back and a small sly smile on his lips. But his eyes held a different look. He must have come head to head with reality. Those were the eyes of a person who had just witnessed something life changing.

"Hey there." Roche replied in an uncharacteristically blatant way.

Cloud pressed his back against the closed door, as Roche stood up and came toward him. Cloud thought of reaching out for his sword, but it was on the other side of the room, leaning against the headrest of his bed. There was something menacing in the air. Roche's eyes glittered with green- he must have had a new recent infusion of Mako in him.

Cloud flattened against the door, when Roche slammed his hand on the door, next to Cloud's head.

"I had an epiphany." Roche said, "I saw someone die. I killed a person."

"We're SOLDIERs. That's what we're supposed to do sometimes."

"No!" Roche placed his other hand on the door as well, now pressing even closer toward Cloud, "We are more than this, Cloud. We are supposed to love and laugh, not just kill whoever we are ordered to kill."

Cloud saw how distraught Roche had become. He must have only worked inside Midgar as an infantryman. He must have seen death firsthand before, but maybe this was the first time he had taken away someone's life. And now he was in need of a reconciliation.

"Roche…" Cloud tried to sound as calm as possible, "It's okay to feel this way."

Roche had his eyes down, focused on somewhere around Cloud's collarbone. He slammed his balled fist on the door, inches away from Cloud's head. Through gritted teeth, the long-haired man let out a sigh of frustration.

This is how we distinguish ourselves from monsters, Cloud thought, but didn't know how to say it out loud, in the face of death, we long for good times and love.

Roche sunk down and buried his face in the junction of Cloud's neck and shoulder. His shoulders shook, as tears pushed through violently.

"They pumped me so full of Mako. Or I think it was Mako..." Roche's voice was muffled and hoarse, "I was not in control. I felt too powerful. And he didn't have to die. I should have let him just run away…"

Cloud didn't know how to act. So he simply patted the back of Roche's head gently, hoping it would bring forth some form of peace and calm. But Cloud knew that this thing would not come to pass easily. Most likely ever. Death will stain you. It will brand you with its merciless hot iron.

Roche removed his hands from the door and used them to pull Cloud to him. He embraced the smaller man with his whole strength, holding on to him like his life depended on it.

"Cloud." Roche said in his ear, "I refuse to die, unless it's in a dance by your side."

"Hey, don't say that." Cloud muttered, trying to pry some space between the two of them, "You'll live. You're strong like that."

"For now." Roche let Cloud go, taking a half-step back.

And without another word he returned to his bed, back to his meditative pose. Cloud quickly slid on his white T-shirt and exited the room.

-

Cloud hurried to the rooftop, knowing that he was late. The black cat was already sitting by the edge of the roof, seemingly asleep. Cloud fumbled for cat treats in his pocket, taking out a few and holding them in his palm.

He was no longer surprised that Zack wasn't there. But at this point after these two weeks, he hoped that if he was persistent enough, Zack would come. Unless something Cloud had said startled him away for good. But it was Zack who had told him to come here to meet with him. That was the lifeline that get Cloud's hopes afloat.

Cloud placed the cat treats next to the sleeping feline creature. The shadow of Zack, this small black ball of fur.

Cloud stopped in his tracks. Even though didn't hear the door reopen, there was definitely someone on the roof with him. They were approaching slowly and quietly, much like a cat closing in on their prey.

"He's not coming."

Cloud petrified.

"My dear, Cloud." A cold steel laugh, "It is just you and me. Forever."

Cloud's body became limp, as he whispered the name of the person standing behind him, "Sephiroth."

Sephiroth moved soundlessly closer. Cloud didn't have to see him to feel his overwhelming presence. It was a heavy dark aura, a harbinger of bad news. Then he was standing directly next to him, too close for comfort.

A hand came to rest on Cloud's shoulder, as the tall man wrapped his arm around Cloud. The touch was surprisingly soft at first.

"He's made you come here for so many nights. What a shameful display." Sephiroth said like he was reciting poetry, "If only you'd hear his words… how he told me that he felt disgusted by you. That the only thing he wanted was to have fun with you."

"What…" Cloud breathed out in disbelief.

"You don't know him like I do." Sephiroth said heavily.

Grudgingly, Cloud had to agree with Sephiroth. He didn't know Zack. He only knew his own feelings that had taken him over. And that talk of fate and destiny- it had gotten him worked up. It could all be a sweet nothing, a short dream and Cloud realized he had been overly optimistic.

Whether what Sephiroth said was true or not, it incepted a deep doubt in him. He wanted to pull back and close his shelter, hide away his vulnerable core. He wanted to feel secure and at home, not like a ship lost at a stormy sea.

Sephiroth pulled Cloud against his chest, forcing a gasp out of Cloud's parted lips. The collision with his leather jacket and strapped chest was a hard slap in the face.

"Men are filthy animals." Sephiroth brushed the back of his hand against Cloud's cheek, pushing hair away from Cloud's eyes, "Vile desires, dressed up in compliments and empty promises."

Cloud wormed and squirmed in Sephiroth's one-armed hug, "What do you want from me…"

Sephiroth grabbed a fistful of Cloud's hair and pulled back. It hurt, some of the hairs peeling off from his scalp. Cloud grimaced in pain, having to now look into those pits of Mako coloured darkness. Sephiroth's eyes narrowed, as he evaluated every aspect and pore on Cloud's face.

"You, Cloud… What do you want from me." It was not a question as much as it was a statement or a reminder of something almost forgotten, "Tell me, and I shall make it happen."

"Let me go!" Cloud tried to untangle Sephiroth's hand from his hair, "I want you to let me go!"

Sephiroth's expression didn't reveal any of the inner workings of his mind. He simply leaned in and pressed his cold lips against Cloud's lips. If there hadn't been a hand cradling him by his shoulders, he would have collapsed on the spot.

It was not a normal kiss. The moment Sephiroth's lips touched his, he felt something crawling up from the darkness of his mind. His vision grew green and dotted, like a layer of static had been applied on his world. There was a sound of moaning- of him moaning out Sephiroth's name.

_The books, a room full of books._

_Sephiroth is behind him, inside of him._

_A sharp pain in his neck, a foreign substance entering him._

_The fire, the inferno. Screams and ultimately death._

His pupils came in and out of focus, drifting between this world and a world that once was. Sephiroth was biting at his bottom lip, his teeth sharp and bruising. Cloud didn't want to, but he felt himself returning the kiss, like something he'd do out of habit. He closed his eyes, as opened his mouth for Sephiroth's tongue.

Sephiroth let go of Cloud's hair, and instead pulled him closer by his hips. That big hardness was poking at Cloud and it was now very familiar. Sephiroth spoke of vile lust, but if this was not vile, Cloud didn't know what was. Somehow he knew or remembered Sephiroth's lust and hunger for flesh.

Then, much to Cloud's surprise, he let go of him with a small gentle shove. Cloud stumbled backward, immediately wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. The spell was broken and now he was only left with disgust. How could he let this man touch him in this way?

"It shall come back to you eventually." Sephiroth said, "You saved my life. And now we are bound together, through this life and next. As we have always been and shall never stop being."

Cloud blinked his eyes, "I don't… I don't agree with that."

Sephiroth's thin lips pulled up into an awkward smile. He turned around, "Oh, my dear Cloud, I don't believe you have any say in the matter. One day, you shall come to me on your own. Then, and only then we can reach the Promised Land." and thus, he walked away.

Cloud fell on his knees and let out a breath that had been stuck in his throat. He felt like vomiting. The thought of him and Sephiroth in an intimate context was now stuck in his head, while his bruised bottom lip reminded him of the forced kiss. It made Cloud feel small, like anything he said didn't matter.

His identity, his immunity. Was everyone looking at him the same way? Was he nothing more than a thing to be desired? Cloud felt nasty even touching himself where Sephiroth had just touched him. The body he inhabited felt foreign and repelling. He wanted to hide out of sight of the world where no one could ever see him.

"What am I…?" Cloud looked down at his hands, "What did I do?"

Whatever was done in the past had been a grave mistake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay with new chapters! I wanted to write this story in peace before publishing because I realized that there are quite a many overlapping threads that I need to go back and rewrite things. I'm almost done with the last chapter so I felt confident in updating this. 
> 
> Also an important reminder after I read some of your comments - This story will be AU. While it may have some things in common with FF VII, and therefore some spoilers, it is ultimately an Alternative Universe with its own storyline. Thank you for understanding and reading this thus far!


	5. Chapter 5

_Two weeks earlier..._

Zack was watching in the shadows as Cloud duelled with his roommate. He felt his blood boil when that roommate came behind Cloud and leaned in to give a small kiss on cheek. However, the sight of shocked and flushed Cloud was amusing, so Zack decided not to intervene and let boys be boys.

He smiled as he thought of meeting up with Cloud later that night. He wondered if he should bring something with him, like a couple of beers or even flowers. The latter one was quite cliche though, especially so early into their "relationship". Zack snickered at the thought of dropping by the slums to buy a bouquet of roses for Cloud.

Zack wanted to make sure Cloud understood that he saw their future as something more than just friends. But at the same time, he didn't want to scare him away. It was just looking at Cloud made it impossible to frown. He brought peace and quiet to Zack's restless heart. And Zack wanted him to know that.

Zack then turned around and came almost head first with Lazard, the director of SOLDIER.

"Oh hey Laz." Zack had become quite familiar with the director, "What's up?"

"Zack." Lazard acknowledged his presence, "It's good I ran into you. Meet me in my office in five. There's an important matter that came up and requires your attention."

Zack's heart slumped along with his shoulders. This could very well mean that he would have to call their rooftop date off for that night.

Lazard must have read his face like an open book, "It won't take all day."

Zack gave Cloud one last glance. Had he known that this would be the last time he'd see Cloud in a long time, he would have probably ran up to him, scooped him up his arms and smelled the mess of blond hair on his head. He would have vowed to him that he'll be back and that he hasn't forgotten his promise of meeting up with Cloud on that rooftop.

But this was a knowledge Zack didn't possess. Unbeknownst of the dark times ahead, he turned his back and walked away.

-

In Lazard's office, Zack sat back on a chair, while other 3rd and 2nd class SOLDIER listened to their mission briefing. It sounded easy enough- go down the ring road around Midgar, stop some rebel organization on their tracks. If push came to a shove, they didn't need to capture anyone alive.

Zack would be the leader of operation. Zack, two 2nd class and two 3rd class SOLDIER. It seemed like an overkill, but Zack didn't mind. At least with this many people in his disposal he should be home by dinner. And he would come back home as a hero and he could tell Cloud how he had led them to victory. Zack smiled at the thought.

"Our hypothesis is that this rebel initiative is attempting to reach Mako reactor 5. It is within our best interest to stop them before they reach the reactor." Lazard pointed at a location on a map behind him, "We shall trap them here, after the last junction connecting to the ring road."

"Child's play!" Zack placed his arms behind his head, "We'll be back before sunset."

"Yes, this should be an in-and-out kind of an assignment." Lazard nodded his head, "Now, if you all are ready, you are to dispatch ASAP. The rebel group is already on the move and it's imperative you stop their attack."

Zack got up to his feet and strapped his sword on his back. He motioned the other SOLDIER to follow him as he walked out of Lazard's office. While his usual excitement of going on a mission was not brewing inside of him, he figured he'd make the most of it.

Only then he noticed Cloud's roommate in their ranks, "Oh, it's you."

"Roche." The man retorted with a toothy smile, "Nice to be heading out with a legend such as you, Zack Fair."

Zack smiled, "I'll be sure to bail you out if you get in trouble. Friends of Cloud are friends of mine!"

Roche looked stunned for a moment, before he laughed mouthed thanks. Zack felt almost like a big brother to these boys, even though some of them must have been close to his age, if not even older.

They went down to the garage, where their ride was already waiting for them by the elevator. Zack ushered his team in, before jumping in after them. He sunk into a leather seat, facing his comrades sitting at the back of the combat truck. They accelerated out of the Shinra Tower, into the speedway.

"According to Lazard' plan, you guys will stay in this vehicle and follow the rebels while they make their way towards the ring road. I'll jump out shortly and make my way to create a blockage in front of the reactor. This way we can trap them between us and take them out without much hassle." Zack walked through the plan once more with his team, "Remember- hostages first, casualties second. No reason to kill anyone if we can bring them in peacefully."

The team nodded their heads in acknowledgment.

"Not to doubt your skills or anything, sir," Roche was the only one to speak up, "But isn't it tiny bit dangerous for you to be there all alone? I mean, one of us could go with you."

Zack shook his head, "This is the plan as Lazard laid it out. We improvise only when needed. This is how we stay alive."

Roche opened his mouth to complain, "But…"

"I mean it." Zack said firmly, "If you value your life, you'll need to learn the value of strategizing. Because the moment you fall back on improvisation is the moment you've lost the upper hand."

Roche didn't seem satisfied with the response, but said nothing. Zack wanted to make them understand the importance of planning, because he knew just how much you actually needed to improvise in the battle field. But without having the balance of knowing what the mission is and how it is supposed to play out, it becomes harder to figure out good alternatives.

The rest of the ride was spent in silence. The darkened windows of the truck tinted the roadside scenery in dark hues, making it seem like it was middle of the night. But the sun was still up there in the sky and Zack had plenty of time to kill before his evening plans with a certain blue-eyed recruit.

They were approaching Zack's drop off location. Zack opened the door of the moving vehicle and poked his head out. They were ascending toward a road leading to the outermost ring road of Midgar. If he jumped out now, he could take the fire escape and cut through to the Mako reactor 5 by foot.

"Listen! Be prepared for anything, but remember that you're not alone here." Zack said, hanging out of the open door, "I'm here. You have all your teammates here. We're in this together."

His team saluted him, as he jumped out, flipping backward and landing professionally on the side of the road.

He swiftly exited the road via a fire escape and took a left turn at a tunnel, now running toward his destination. He took a shortcut through Sector 6, or what was left of it. The Sector 6 plate had fallen in a tragic incident on the slums below it years ago and only maintenance chutes from the main road to the ring roads had been rebuilt.

He had never been to Sector 6 slums, but he had understood that the poor people of Midgar had excavated parts of it with the help of Shinra and reinhabited it. Now it was a construction site that was doomed to never finish.

He ran through the maintenance paths, fast approaching Sector 5. His feet felt light but his heart was heavy with a need to return to Sector 8. But he would save Midgar first- have Cloud second.

This mission should be good for the new recruits, like Roche, to get a feel for how things are operated amongst the SOLDIERs. Easy enough to be done with over and quickly, but surely exciting enough for them. Though Zack couldn't help but wonder why Lazard wanted to send him alone to be a one-man squad to stop a rebel van. But he trusted that the bespectacled man knew what he was doing.

Zack reached a ladder that took him back up to the road. As he broke the surface, he was just where he wanted to be- a few miles away from the Sector 5 reactor. Lazard had also dispatched a platoon of infantrymen to cut traffic from around the Sector 5 area. Typically the road would be overflowing with cars and motorcycles, going from one Sector plate to another.

But now it was just Zack and a cold fresh breeze from the Badlands. The outermost ring road was overlooking the dried out desert surrounding Midgar. It was a sad sight to say the least. The land was dead, while Midgar flourished hovering atop. Zack tried not to think about the devastation done by the Mako reactors, pumping up the lifeblood of the planet. But looking around himself, it was more than evident that what Shinra was doing had forever lasting consequences on the environment.

"It's not your fight," Zack had been told by Lazard when he had once asked about the Badlands, "It will get better once we understand Mako better."

Zack heard a roar of engine in the distance. He placed his hand on the handle of his sword and moved in the middle of the three-laned road. He listened, waited and took a deep breath.

"It's showtime."

A yellow pickup truck came into view, driving clearly above the speed limit. One of its rear tires had been shot, which made it look like it was out of control, swaying from side to side. But it didn't slow down its speed, but encouraged the driver to go even faster to avoid capture.

Zack drew his sword, holding it with both hands in front of him.

When the car's bumper was touching the tip of his sword, he jumped in the air, and leaped on the hood. He spun the sword in his hands so that the blade was pointing down. He pushed down and stabbed the hood, taking down the engine under it. The car began to cough immediately and came to a violent halt.

Zack released his sword and jumped off the car, which was now spiralling out of control. It slammed front first to the concrete wall on the side of the road. Its rear rose up in the air by the force of the collision, before it slammed down, busting the only remaining intact rear tire.

"It's over!" Zack hollered, walking confidently toward the smoking vehicle, "Come out and come in peace!"

A gunshot pierced the air. Zack had anticipated some form of retaliation, so he lifted his broadsword to protect him just in time. The bullet recoiled from his steel.

"It's no use!" Zack countered.

The black Shinra combat truck pulled over a few feet away. The rest of the SOLDIERs jumped out, their weapons drawn.

At that point, Zack realized that something was amiss. It was all going too well. Just a simple truck, Lazard could have sent him alone to take care of this. But there were now four SOLDIER, their weapons drawn at the yellow pickup truck.

Zack turned to look at his team. He could smell it, the Mako, reeking in the air. But as he saw their faces, it was hundred percent certain. They were doped up on Mako, their muscles were almost bursting under their uniforms and veins so big they were about to pop in their foreheads. They were hungry for blood and would attack anything that looked them the wrong way.

Before Zack could assess the situation, a young boy emerged from the yellow pickup truck. They for sure didn't look like a terrorist or a rebel. They were shaking, holding a smoking gun in his hands. He had a bright red scarf tied around his head and a home made armour to protect his extremely lanky body.

"S-stay back, or I'll shoot!" The boy commanded but his voice lacked the confidence, "I have explosives in the car…! If you attack me, I'll take you down with me!" And he was speaking the truth- the cargo bed was full of improvised explosive devices.

Zack saw Roche step forward. He was no longer in control. There was an animal in him that needed to be fed with blood. The Mako radiated in him. He was just a new recruit, his body was not accustomed to any additional Mako. And now he had been overdosed somehow, his frontal lobe completely deafened by an aggressive energy.

"Step down, Roche." Zack commanded, "Listen to me. This doesn't have to end in a fight."

Zack also had bigger things to be concerned about. If an explosion was to happen on the road, it would definitely cause it to crack and potentially collapse on the slums down below. It would mean that there would be even more casualties than just this puny rebel boy.

Roche readied his sword, as he advanced. He no longer heard or understood anything that was being said to him. Zack stepped forward, grabbing him by the shoulder. That made Roche fling his sword at him, which Zack blocked with his own sword.

"Man, you need to calm down!" Zack said, even though he understood that it may be futile, "Roche! Snap the fuck out of it!"

At that point the other SOLDIER were also on the move. Zack knew that his experience alone would make him more powerful than these Mako-crazed troops. But what he didn't want to do was raise his sword at his comrades.

Zack hooked his leg around Roche's, tipping his balance. The blond man fell on the asphalt without a sound. He dropped his sword, which Zack kicked away from him.

The other SOLDIERs now jumped at him, the other 3rd class SOLDIER missing Zack's head by an inch. Zack tackled him down by jumping on his back, backflipping onto his feet. The two 2nd class SOLDIERs tried to flank him, but he met their swords in time, countering their rain of slashes and blows.

Zack heard how the rebel boy tried to restart his car, but the engine roared without coming back to life.

"Run!" Zack shouted at the boy, while pushing back against a sword, "This isn't how this is supposed to fucking go."

Zack grabbed the 3rd class SOLDIER by their neck, using him as a shield against the 2nd class SOLDIERs. He thought that if he used one of them to block their blows, they would stop attacking. They would see reason and remember who they are.

But Zack should have known better. The man shielding him went limp instantly, as a sword went through him, entering below his chin and exiting at the crown of his head. Blood splattered across Zack's forehead and bridge of his nose.

Zack let go off the SOLDIER, who was now standing only because his ex-teammate's sword through his head was supporting his weight. His eyes widened at the sight of death.

"W-wait…" Zack muttered, "You can't be serious."

The 3rd class SOLDIER fell on the ground, dead and gone. Zack had never seen anything like it- even with the craziest amounts of Mako in a SOLDIER had never made SOLDIERs turn on each other. This was something worse, more sinister. A new type of Mako perhaps, now weaponized against SOLDIERs.

While Zack had been occupied with the others, Roche had scrambled back to his feet and discovered his sword on the ground. He was now walking toward the car, like a zombie limping ahead with only one purpose in mind- to kill.

"Fuck Roche, get back!" Zack yelled.

The two SOLDIERs tried to attack Zack once more, but he had had enough. He dropped his own sword, disarming the two with hand-to-hand combat. He moved close to them, twisted their arms to make them drop their weapons and then elbowed them in their heads to knock them out temporarily. It was better to tranquilize them than have them die on him.

He jumped over the unconscious bodies of the two SOLDIERs, and sprinted toward Roche. The gladius was raised in the air, the steel pristine and unsoiled. Zack realized he wouldn't make it in time. Time slowed down, as Zack yelled Roche to return back to reality and drop his weapon, while he ran, his strides so long they pulled muscles in his inner thighs.

Roche pushed his sword through the open window in the driver's side. There was a scream of terror, the gun going off once more. The bullet missed Roche. The sword did not miss the boy.

The sword that was pulled out of the car was now covered in deep red.

Zack tackled Roche to the ground and slammed his fist in his face. A bone cracked, but Roche was still conscious. Zack sat on his chest, pinning him down on the asphalt.

"What have you done, Roche?!" Zack cried out, "What have they done to you?!"

In an instant, Roche seemed to regain partial control. He let go off his sword, which he had held on to so hard his knuckles were ghastly white.

"I… I didn't just…" Roche tried to speak, but it seemed like his brain was still partially dysfunctional due to the Mako dosage.

"Okay, don't worry about that right now." Zack saw how panic was starting to take over him, "Look, just leave your sword here and run. You need to get the fuck away from here. I'll do the cleanup."

Zack lifted himself and helped Roche up with him. The blonde man's eyes were filled with terror, as he saw the mess of blood inside of the pickup truck. He put his hand on his mouth, swallowing against an urge to vomit.

Zack grabbed him by his collar and shook him, "Roche! Listen to me!" he pushed the blond man back, pointing toward the fire escape, "Go! I promised you I'll bail you out! Just don't disappoint me, man!"

Roche's wide eyes met with Zack. He nodded slowly, before scrambling back and clumsily exiting the highway. This was not how the first mission was supposed to turn out. This man would never be the same. Zack felt instant remorse because of how he had handled the situation.

Zack heard something move inside the truck. He turned to look and saw that the boy was still alive. And he was holding a detonator in his hand.

"Wait, no! Don't do-!" Zack began, but was cut short.

The pickup truck exploded, engulfed in flames. Zack was knocked back by the blast, thrown over a railing on the side of the road. Just in the nick of time he was able to grab a hold on it, his feet hovering in the air, with the Sector 8 slum somewhere below him. But when he tried to pull himself back up, the railing groaned and started to give in.

"Fuck!" Zack cursed, as his metal lifeline was coming loose.

Then the railing came loose. Zack began to fall, his hands frantically grasping at the air, looking for anything to hold on to. But there was nothing. And he was falling now fast, down from the Sector plate into the slums below. And there was nothing to break his fall, no miracle of flight or a last minute helicopter extraction.

His back hit first something, which immediately cracked and gave in under his weight. He kept falling even through that, but he'd closed his eyes at this point and couldn't tell where his fall would take him.

Eventually he landed on something solid and his skull cracked audibly as he did.

In-an-out kind of assignment, my ass, was the final brief thought that existed in Zack's head before his consciousness fled.

-

"Hey you." A kind voice spoke, "You're finally awake!"

Zack hadn't realized his eyes had been open. His vision was coming back slowly, everything too bright and too blurry at first. He tried to move his body and felt every cell in him aching. He lifted his arm and touched his face, seeing if it was still intact.

"Hey, don't go near him, you might scare him."

"Scare him? I don't think that this guy will be scared by us, Aerith."

There was a gentle shake on his shoulder. Zack blinked his eyes lazily, feeling like he wanted to hit the snooze one more time. Maybe what had just happened on the road had been just a bad dream.

Zack groaned, inhaling a deep breath. Scent of flowers and tea filled his nostrils, as he tried to force himself to return fully to the land of the living. He removed a warm towel that had rested on his forehead and placed it on top of his closed eyes, hoping to fall back to blackness of sleep, or unconsciousness.

Then a stroke of realization hit him. He shot up and exclaimed, "What's the time? What day is it?!" He fumbled and looked around him, seeing flowers of all colours around him. His back was aching and it was no wonder- he had fallen on this flowery surface and been out for Goddesses know how long.

He now saw two young women sit next to him, on his bed of flowers. The first one had a curious expression on her small face, her long brown hair pulled up in a loose ponytail. Her round green eyes studied Zack, trying to read his mind.

Above them arched a wooden ceiling with a hole in it. Zack wondered if he had made that hole when he fell down from the plate. The once-a-church around them looked very rundown, so the hole in the ceiling didn't stand out too much.

The other woman with long black hair was more serious, her arms folded above her chest. She seemed to be more concerned about Zack's intentions.

"Hey mister!" The brown-haired woman said with a hearty smile, "You have been out for almost two weeks! I'm so happy that you came back to us! We weren't sure if you'd make it. You fell all the way up from there." She pointed at a hole in the ceiling.

"We heard an explosion. It seems like some parts of the plate above was damaged, but luckily only a couple of bricks came down on us. Along with you."

Zack held his head, a throbbing pain in his brain made it hard to concentrate on anything, "I suppose I should thank you, umm…"

"My name's Aerith!" The brown-haired lady quipped, "And this one is Tifa!" The woman named Tifa nodded her head.

"Right, Aerith, Tifa…" Zack smiled, "Man, I can't believe I was out for that long."

Aerith and Tifa exchanged looks, before Aerith spoke, "Well, to be honest, we thought you'd be done for. Your skin was burnt and you basically fractured your neck while coming down. When we reached you, you had no pulse. But your body healed very fast."

"Unnaturally fast." Tifa added.

"Well, I'm a SOLDIER. Name's Zack Fair."

"I fucking knew it." Tifa rolled her eyes and threw her hands in the air, "We shouldn't've used our last potions on him. He's better off dead Aerith!"

"Tifa! He seems like a nice person."

Zack shook his head in disbelief, he had no time for this. He had to get back to the plates and to the Shinra Tower as fast as possible. Not only he had some reconciling to do regarding the Mako frenzied SOLDIERs, but more importantly, he needed to see Cloud. He hadn't been able to keep his promise.

A thought of Cloud coming to the rooftop with his white T-shirt on, waiting for him to arrive only to end up in disappointment broke his heart. He frowned as he imagined the look of betrayal on that pale small face. He must make amends and make sure to never ever let him down again.

"Look, I need to go back up…" Zack said, "My friend Cloud…"

"Cloud?" Tifa stopped him, grabbing him by the collar of his uniform with her gauntlet-covered hands, "How do you know Cloud?"

Zack arched his eyebrow, "Uh, well, he's a 3rd class SOLDIER."

Tifa's brown eyes were wide, as she was overtaken by either shock or excitement, Zack found it hard to tell. She bent even closer to Zack, her hair falling off her shoulder. She narrowed her eyes, as if looking for hints of lies on Zack's expression.

"Cloud… he… I thought he was dead."

Now it was Zack's turn to be shocked, "What? No way! He's alive and well."

"But that must mean…" She released her grips on Zack's collar and covered her mouth as she gasped, "Sephiroth? Is Sephiroth with him?"

"What do you mean?"

"He's in grave danger." Tifa stood up, "We must save him."

"Wait a minute!" Zack lifted both of his hands in the air, "How do you know Cloud? Or even Sephiroth for that matter? And what makes you think that he wouldn't be safe with Shinra?"

Tifa was shaking her head, pacing back and forth.

"Something terrible happened at Tifa's hometown, Nibelheim." Aerith stepped in, as her friend was too upset to speak, "And it all started with Sephiroth…"

"I can do it." Tifa swallowed, "I've tried to hide the past for far too long. I must tell you, Zack, what happened..."

-

_Two years ago in Nibelheim_

Tifa's father had told her to bring food to the SOLDIER working hard in the Shinra mansion library. At first she had been excited for this world famous silver-haired SOLDIER to come into town, especially because he brought Cloud with him. But outside of a trip to Mount Nibel and late night dinners at Cloud's place, the two of them were holed up in the library, while Sephiroth read through the whole catalogue of books stored in there. Tifa only hoped to have more time to catch up with Cloud, since he had been gone for a long time.

She remembered when Cloud had first told her that he'd become a SOLDIER. Thus far he was only an infantryman. It seemed to embarrass Cloud to no end, and had even tried to hide behind his infantryman helmet when they arrived in Nibelheim more than a month prior. But Tifa couldn't have cared less. She would have preferred if he hadn't become an infantryman in the first place.

She sighed, as she held a basket full of bread and library was conveniently in the basement of the mansion. The place was typically relatively vacant outside of some infantrymen or occasional low ranking SOLDIERs who looked after the place.

She stopped outside of the partly open door, as she heard someone moan loudly in pain. Pressed herself against the side of the door and peeked inside.

Cloud was naked on his knees on a table, his back arched as he cried and begged, "Stop… no, please stop… it hurts!"

Sephiroth pulled out his fingers out of whimpering Cloud. He unzipped his leather pants, his big member falling loose. Tifa's eyes widened as she saw Sephiroth press himself forcefully inside Cloud, while her friend was begging him to stop and tried to squirm free. It was not an act of love, it was an act of violence. But Tifa was petrified, unable to do anything.

Cloud pressed his teary eyes shut, his hands grabbing a shelf in front of him, while the desk under him shook with the rhythm of Sephiroth's movements.

An onslaught of questions crashed on Tifa. Why Sephiroth? This man who was trained to fight evil and had not shown an inkling of evil intent - why would he hurt and humiliate Cloud like this?

Outside Tifa fell on her knees, numbed to the sound of her friend crying. She couldn't look any more. Panic kicked in, like she was about to die. This was an ill omen that would devour them all. And she knew she was too small and too weak to fight it. She had to get out.

The basket of food dropped on the floor as she ran out and never looked back.

-

"And then I just… ran out." Tifa had her palms against her eyes, pushing them to stop tears from escaping, "I should have stormed the room and fought him. I let Cloud down… I… I should've died in Nibelheim for what I did. I could've done something."

Zack was quiet. But on the inside, there were so many things screaming at him at once. What had started out as bitter jealousy had evolved into a deep-founded rage. The loss of innocence and downright injustice that had happened to Cloud. It was incomprehensible for Zack how the older SOLDIER had exercised his power over the young man.

It made Zack feel sick to think of Cloud forced to submission, while that silver-haired snake of a man was violating him. To think of him, alone with Sephiroth, most likely afraid and in pain.

But that devilish mental image was taken over by an image of Cloud's clear eyes and that small pout flashed into Zack's mind. He started to contemplate his own actions- was I too straightforward or was I implying too much when I was with him? Am I reopening scars in Cloud's heart by pushing myself onto him?

Sephiroth dared to lay his hands on Cloud, Zack's nails dug deep in his balled fist, he is not going to get away with this.

"I'm sorry…" Tifa mumbled, bringing Zack out of his dark thoughts, "That night, Cloud came to me."

"What happened?" Zack asked, surprised by how his voice was caught in his throat.

"I didn't ask questions, and he didn't say anything. We just decided to escape." Tifa paused and shook her head, "We were almost out of Nibelheim, but then the fire started… and we got separated."

Zack looked down at his lap. Originally he'd supposed to be on that mission to Nibelheim with Sephiroth. Lazard had called him off at the last minute, saying that the President Shinra had something else planned for him. He had ended up sitting in his room for a week before another assignment had come up.

If only he had just asked more questions and pried his way to that mission… he could have saved Cloud. He may have been able to save Cloud and Tifa's hometown too. But he had been an obedient little puppy and stayed behind. This thought did no favours to the anger inside of him.

"Hey, guys…" Aerith spoke up quietly, "We must look forward, not back. I'm sure if we do our best, we can save your friend this time."

Zack and Tifa exchanged looks. He could see how they both were ridden with regret.

"I'll give you that. We can't sit here and do nothing!" Zack exclaimed, standing up from his sick bed, "We are going to save Cloud! No two ways about it."

Tifa nodded her head, "Yes. I'll not let him down twice."

Aerith pulled Zack's sword from under a bench and dragged it across the floor to Zack. The dark-haired man gave her a half-smile in gratitude, as he strapped the buster sword to his back.

Mako crazed soldiers, Sephiroth and Cloud. Zack had to admit that these two could very well be interconnected. But whatever the case may be, once he went back to Sector 0 and Shinra, it would not be the same. He didn't know what to expect. But it was bound to be dangerous.

"Look, I appreciate your help." Zack offered, "But I don't know if it's wise for you to join me. It seems like something big is happening behind the curtain."

Tifa and Aerith looked at each other, before they burst out into laughter. Zack looked at them in disbelief.

"C'mon, we are not going to let you go alone! SOLDIER or not!" Aerith smiled widely, "Next time you may not be so lucky and land in my flower bed!"

"Besides, Cloud's my friend too." Tifa said indignantly, "I need to tell him that I'm sorry for letting this happen to him. Even if that's the last thing I do."

"Alright, suit yourselves, ladies." Zack shrugged with a small chuckle.

Aerith grabbed her staff and a handful of potions, which she distributed amongst Zack and Tifa. By the way the two women were equipped and held themselves, Zack realized that they weren't amateurs. Both of them must have seen their fare share of trouble and fights here in the slums below the Sector plates.

On the way out of the dilapidated church, Zack put his hand on Tifa's slim shoulder, "It's no use beating yourself up about it."

Tifa looked up at him wearily, "I need to make amends. For Cloud and for Nibelheim."

Zack smiled. He couldn't wait to see him again.


	6. Chapter 6

Cloud was done with sitting around. And most importantly, he was done waiting for Zack to come back. Whether or not what Sephiroth had told him was true or not, it had made him do a reality check on his feelings, which

That's why he was now sitting outside of Lazard's office, impatiently waiting for his turn. He heard voices, low-murmurs coming from behind the closed door. There was an odd tension in the air- starting from the atypical stern face of the downstairs receptionist, to every Shinra employee keeping their eyes downcast around him.

Cloud was startled when Lazard's door slammed open. A tall fair man clad in a long white coat walked out, followed by an entourage of guards. Cloud recognized the man from his Shinra studies class, not as a fellow student but as something they'd studied extensively.

President Shinra's next in line and heir to the Shinra Company. Rufus Shinra. They tried to paint a positive picture of his personality and past deeds, but in low-key it was evident that this person was ruthless in his endeavours.

Cloud blinked his eyes as he realized he was staring and quickly turned his gaze downward. He didn't want to get into trouble for staring at a high ranking official for too long.

The heir of Shinra stopped to look at Cloud. It was an uncomfortable, piercing gaze that Cloud felt even when his eyes were trained at the floor. Why would Rufus Shinra look at him so intently? Was he in the wrong place at a wrong time?

Without saying a word, Rufus Shinra barged out followed by his bodyguards. Something serious must have taken place as Cloud thought that a person like Rufus Shinra would have assistants, running menial errands such as meeting with the director of SOLDIER.

It wasn't Cloud's place to question, so after waiting for a moment, he walked to Lazard's office. The door remained open after Rufus had bursted out, so he knocked on the open door.

"Yes?" Lazard lifted his face from his papers, looking visibly tired, "Oh, it's you, Strife."

"Can I come in?"

Lazard had returned to his papers, but motioned with his hand Cloud to enter. The said man closed the door behind him, before taking a seat at one of the cushioned chairs in front of Lazard's pale wood desk.

"Umm…" Cloud knew what he had to say but felt hesitant all of a sudden.

With a sigh, Lazard pushed back at his desk and focused his full attention at Cloud, "Is there something I can help you with…?"

Cloud nodded his head, "I want to go on a mission."

"What?"

"I want to go out. On a mission." Cloud repeated, "I've attended more classes than any other SOLDIER. I'm much better trained now than any other 3rd class SOLDIER."

Lazard arched his eyebrow, "Strife, this is not how this works."

"I know, sir."

"I have no assignments for you at this time."

"But, I…!"

Lazard gave Cloud a hard look, urging Cloud to shut his mouth. He straightened his glasses and said tiredly, "Look, Strife. I have a lot of work to do. But for you, I cannot assign any tasks."

"Is there really nothing to do?" Cloud mused with an increasing frown.

"It's not... that's not what I meant." Lazard seemed to have been struck in a sensitive spot, "I don't have anything for you. That's a final. And don't look so sour. You'll be the first one to know if the situation changes."

Cloud wanted to argue, seeing how many papers and folders he had in front of him. There must be something to do, it's not like Wutai had just pulled out of the war or that slum rebels had stopped scheming against Shinra. Even Roche had gotten a new mission that morning, the day after coming back from his previous mission. And he had been shaken and unwilling to leave to the boot.

They could have, or even should have, sent Cloud instead of Roche. It made zero sense to keep a SOLDIER like him sitting on his hands. Especially when the one they sent instead was still completely shell shocked by his first mission.

"Off you go." Lazard said, "I'll call you when I have something for you."

Cloud stood up reluctantly. On that moment the door slammed open and a blood-covered 2nd class SOLDIER stumbled in. Cloud didn't recognize his face. He looked like a wild animal had jumped on him, the blood splattered across his face and neck. Their helmet was fractured in the middle, their dark hair poking out through the crack.

"Director!" The SOLDIER gasped, doubling over and coughing up blood on the floor, "It's an emergency! One SOLDIER… they just suddenly went berserk in Dr. Hojo's lab! Like yesterday...!"

Lazard shot up to his feet and slammed his palms on the table, "Cursed things! Now it's infiltrated the Tower..."

Cloud went to the man and helped him stand up straight. He assisted him to a couch in a corner of the office, and laid him down there. The man's widened eyes reflected horror and fear, before they closed shut and his face relaxed against the leather of the couch.

"Sir, he looks like he's in a serious condition." Cloud said to Lazard, as he inspected the man's injuries. He had a deep cut in his head, under the fractured helmet. Blood was dripping down on his forehead, sticking in his eyebrows and obstructing his eyes.

Lazard was taking out a gun and placing it to a holster around his waist. He also grabbed a ball of Materia and pushed it against his forearm, diluting it in himself.

"Sir! What's going on?" Cloud tried to stop Lazard as he was exiting the room, "Whatever it is, let me help! You'll need all the help you can get!"

"No!" Lazard raised his voice, shoving Cloud back by his shoulder, "You are to stay here until I come back."

"But…!"

"That is an order." Lazard said, as he kicked the door shut behind him. A key twisted in the lock, imprisoning Cloud in the office with the injured SOLDIER.

Cloud grabbed the handle but the door didn't open. He let out a frustrated groan and rolled his eyes. He was being treated like a kid. And even now that there was something threatening Shinra on the inside, he was being coddled. It frustrated Cloud, because he knew he could be of use.

And maybe he's out there, fighting, Cloud shook the brief thought out of his head as felt a throb in his heart. It felt like Zack was hiding from him. Why would this 1st class SOLDIER want anything to do with him anyway? He had every right to keep to himself and not come and visit Cloud in their rooftop hangout spot.

Cloud gave a quick one over to his wounded comrade. Even though his head injury looked nasty, he would survive. The Mako in his body would not let him die. All he needed was some rest.

Cloud inspected the door once more. It was relatively sturdy, made out of hardwood and the lock seemed to be quite hard duty as well. He jumped against to see if he could force it open. It didn't give in even a little.

He then remembered the Materia Lazard had equipped himself with before storming out. Cloud went to the Director's desk and scrambled through his drawers. He dug into a pile of paperwork and discovered a metallic box hidden under the documents. It gave a satisfying click as it opened, revealing a row of Materia.

Cloud grabbed a fire Materia and pressed it against his arm. It burnt as it went under his skin, bestowing him with a temporary power. His veins felt warm, like the fire was now smouldering in his blood.

With his new power, he went to the lock. He concentrated, trying to emit only a small amount of fire from the tip of his finger. The metallic lock began to melt under the small hot Mako fire. Soon the deadbolt was weak enough for Cloud to push his way through the door.

Outside of Lazard's office, everything was quiet. The SOLDIER floor was empty of other inhabitants. Has everyone been summoned to face whatever was up there in Dr. Hojo's lab?

Cloud ran to the elevator, finding one waiting for him. He slipped inside and selected the floor of Dr Hojo's lab.

There was no going back now.

-

It was a full out war in Dr Hojo's lab.

Cloud stood on a metallic platform, overlooking a test subject area. The malformed test subject slept quietly in their huge test tubes, while a war was unfolding in the clearing in the middle. SOLDIER against SOLDIER, his comrades had their blades drawn against each other. A couple of infantrymen were standing in front of the other group of SOLDIERs, firing shots in the air.

"What the hell…" Cloud let out a breath and placed his hands on a metal railing that ran around the platform, "What's going on…?"

Cloud looked at the SOLDIER they were fighting against. They didn't look like themselves. There was something menacing about them, an uncontrollable power radiating from them. Is that Mako, Cloud thought, as he caught a glimpse of the eyes of one of the SOLDIERs.

An infantryman fell limply on the ground as one of the berserk SOLDIERs sword cut through their stomach, throwing them aside. Meanwhile another SOLDIER jumped in the air, landing against another SOLDIER parrying their attack.

Cloud also saw Roche down there in the midst of fighting. He seemed like he had lost his edge, standing there with his shoulders slumped, trying his best to dodge a thunder spell cast at him. Why was he on the verge of giving up? He needed to get his act together or he'd be overwhelmed by the Mako crazed SOLDIERs.

"Roche!" Cloud yelled out his friend's name, but it got muffled against the sound of yelling, blades clashing and thunder spells erupting in the room.

At that point someone was thrown against one of the test tubes. The glass cracked and green Mako-filled water began waterfalling out of the tube, while the malformed werehuman creature inside was coughing itself awake. If this thing entered the battle, the scene in front of him could get increasingly messier.

Cloud began casting a fire spell at a SOLDIER launching an attack on Roche, when series of heavy footsteps behind him made him pause.

"Oi! Here's the runaway prince!"

Cloud spun around and saw two men approaching him, walking down the stairs from the elevator. A ponytailed red-headed man was smirking at him, as he came closer. The other one was tall and bald, wearing black sunglasses even though they were indoors.

By their identical black suit uniforms, Cloud already knew who they were. The Turks. The guys who would get any dirty work done for Shinra. They were infamous for their work methods and questionable ethics. No matter what kind of job they were tasked with, their loyalty to Shinra money was unwavering.

"You are coming with us." The bald-headed man said, "Don't try to resist."

"Yeah, you're nosing about in a none-of-your-business area." The other one quipped, tapping his baton against his shoulder.

"What?" Cloud asked, "What do you want with me?"

"Personally, I want as little as possible to do with you, man." The red-head rolled his green eyes, "Except maybe take you out for a drink. You're kinda cute."

"Reno." The bald man elbowed his colleague in the ribs.

"C'mon, Rude. I'm just kiddin'! I know boss wouldn't like that!" The man named Reno laughed, as he walked toward Cloud.

Cloud looked around him for anything he could use as a weapon. His trusty sword was in the weapon storage downstairs, after his instructor had confiscated it without telling him why. It was something about him being off-mission and not needing to carry his sword around Midgar.

"Cloudie, there's nothing you can do down there." Reno grabbed him by his wrist.

Cloud twisted free easily and jumped away, "Tell me what you want with me!"

Reno laughed and motioned at Rude, "Wow, they didn't mention in the job description that the subject is this jumpy! This is going to be fun!"

"Tell me what's going on here!" Cloud demanded, "Why is everyone fighting each other?"

Reno and Rude both shrugged their shoulders in unison, like a rehearsed choreography. The Turks knew everything. Or if they didn't implicitly know, they must have had enough background information to deduce what was happening. They just didn't want to or were given orders not to tell Cloud anything.

"Look, it doesn't matter either way." Rude said, his leather-gloved hand reaching out for Cloud, "You are unarmed and you fighting here would only put your life at risk."

"That's what I'm supposed to do!" Cloud argued, "I'm a SOLDIER, my life should be there on the line."

When Rude tried to grab him, Cloud dodged him easily. But behind him, Reno kicked at his back and sent him face first on the floor. He rolled to his back quickly and grabbed Reno's feet, pulling him off balance. The red-haired man cursed audibly, as he fell on his bottom.

Cloud jumped to his feet and climbed on the railing of the platform. He was about to jump down, but a pair of arms caught him under his shoulders and roughly pulled him back. He tried to cast a spell, but Reno caught his hand and twisted it backward. Cloud let out a moan of pain, as his joints were pulled in abnormal directions.

"Stop doing that!" Reno said with an out of breath laugh, "You don't want to hurt us, do ya?"

Cloud's feet were flying in the air, while Rude was armlocking him from the behind. He was able to land a kick Reno's flat on his chest, forcing the man backward with a surprised wheeze.

Rude kicked at the back of Cloud's knees, forcing him on the ground. He laid him down on his stomach and sat on top of him, twisting his arms behind his back. Cloud tried to wriggle free, but he was outnumbered by the two Turks.

"Didn't want to use force on you." Rude said, "But that thing down there, isn't your fight."

"Let me go!"

Reno had regained his composure and flicked his baton to extend it. Cloud looked up and saw Reno raise his baton in the air. A deep breath allowed Cloud to focus his strength and with all of his strength he slammed against Rude's left leg, toppling him over. Once the grip around Cloud's arms easened, he knew he could win this fight.

"Headstrong little sprout ain't ya!" Reno shouted out, as he came down with his baton.

Cloud, now on his knees, was able to catch the incoming baton and grabbed it tightly with both of his hands. Using the momentum to his advantage, he flung the red-haired turk with his own baton against the platform's railing.

Rude tried to grab Cloud's ankle, but the blond SOLDIER scrambled to his feet just beyond his reach. Reno was momentarily too stunned to move and Rude was merely inches too far away from the escapee. Cloud was faster and without a second thought, jumped over the railing. Both of the Turks yelled at him, as he descended in the midst of the war ongoing on the laboratory floor below them.

Cloud ran across the fighting SOLDIER, trying to find the bodies collapsing on the floor and the swords piercing and slashing and swinging all around Cloud, too close for comfort.

"Roche!" Cloud yelled as he saw his friend on the floor, while a SOLDIER on top of him was ready to deliver a finishing blow to his neck.

Cloud didn't hesitate as he picked a sword on the floor, abandoned there by a dead SOLDIER. He ran across the fight and made it just in time to block a sword inches away from Roche's neck. He countered the blow by kneeing the SOLDIER in his side, sending him hurling on the floor a couple of feet away from them.

Roche had a blank expression as he looked up at his lifesaver, "Cloud?"

"What the hell are you doing?!" Cloud hissed. Why would Roche go to battle when he already looked like he'd given up? Why would he go to a fight if you're already dead set on losing? All that Cloud wanted to ask him, but didn't know how to.

"Look around you, Cloud." Roche sat up on the floor, gathering his sword in his hand, "This is not what we trained for. We are fighting each other. This is not the dance I want to dance. This is fucking wrong, man."

Cloud grabbed Roche by his arm and tried to pull the bigger man up, "Don't give up like this! You're a SOLDIER!"

Roche lifted his gaze as he saw something approach behind Cloud.

"Watch out!" Roche said, as he yanked at Cloud's ankle and in turn moved himself up to counter a blow aimed at Cloud's back.

Cloud and Roche attacked together a crazed SOLDIER. Roche parried his attacks, while Cloud rotated to flank. Roche's sword moved in the air sluggishly and clumsily, not at all like his usual elegant performance. Cloud remembered their conversation last night and the sadness in his voice.

I refuse to die, unless it's in a dance by your side.

When the berserker's guard was down after Roche dodged his overhead strike, Cloud delivered a blunt blow using the sword's handle in the back of his head, right below his helmet. The SOLDIER was immediately stunned and fell flat on the floor.

Cloud looked at Roche and found sadness written all over his usually carefree and smirking face, "Roche…?"

Roche dropped his sword and grabbed Cloud's arms with both of his hands, "I was like that too. I went crazy. And then… I killed a boy."

"Now's not the right time to think about that!"

"No, it's the only time we may ever have." Roche shook his head, "Zack saved my life. I know I need to save yours. If I don't, this guilt is going to be stuck with me forever."

"Zack…" Cloud's eyes widened at the mention of the main character of his daydreams and he asked, "Where's he?"

A sudden blast threw them back and separated them. The shockwave was so strong that it caused panes of the floor creak and collapse, revealing an endless pit of darkness below.

Cloud groaned as he was flung against the cold hard floor, his neck not prepared for the impact and his head snapped back. A fire erupted at the far side of the laboratory, claiming space as an aftermath of the explosion. The fight around them was on a momentary pause, as SOLDIER and some of the escaped experiments were now on the ground, licking their wounds.

Cloud turned his head and saw Roche lying on his stomach next to him. There were shards of glass on his back, piercing his uniform and sunk deep in his flesh. Cloud didn't want to imagine the deep internal damage in Roche's body. He must have shielded Cloud from the explosion.

"Cloud… Why do you always look so gloomy?" Roche reached his hand out, trying to reach Cloud, "This is not the last dance, right?"

Cloud found it hard to move his legs, but he crawled toward the blonde man. He grabbed one of the glass shards and tried to pull it out, but when Roche cursed out in pain and blood began to flow out of his body, he realized he may have done more damage.

"Don't move." Cloud winced, as he tried to make his legs work.

"How does it look?" Roche inquired, while coughing up blood. Lung damage, Cloud thought to himself.

"Well…" Cloud didn't want to lie, "It's not good. But I've seen SOLDIERs cough up blood before and a second later they are fine." But he knew the comparison was off, as he was thinking of 1st class Zack Fair, who could just brush off his injuries. The mako in Roche's blood was not nearly enough to fix all of this damage.

"We'd just started… A shame…" Roche laughed, his eyes drooping, "..I'll just take a short nap."

The man went limp. Cloud touched his neck and found a weak pulse vibrating through his body. He had taken some first aid courses, but this time he couldn't tell if the injury was fatal or not. He needed to get help, potions or a healing Materia. Anything was better than simply sitting around.

Cloud found his way back on his wobbly feet. The fire was spreading fast and smaller explosions made it spread even faster. The temperature was rising fast. Sweat rolled down Cloud's pale face, as he staggered toward another fallen SOLDIER, hoping to find a potion in his pocket.

Suddenly a flame burst out next to him and engulfed the SOLDIER he had intended to loot. He fell back a couple of steps, raising his arm to cover his face from the heat. The surface below him twitched and gave out a horrifying sound. It sounded like the metal foundations of the place were falling apart. Cloud didn't have too much time to spare.

Someone crashed into Cloud. Fortunately the panicked SOLDIER wasn't trying to attack him, but only tried to scramble their way to freedom. Speaking of which, the one and only exit of the area was coming apart, the platform where Cloud had stood was only barely hanging on its hinges.

The Turks were nowhere to be seen- they must have given up the chase after the first explosion. Or maybe they had been claimed by the explosion or the abyss.

Cloud looked around him, his lungs shrinking with the carbon monoxide in the air. He turned to look around and could no longer see Roche behind a wall of flames.

"Can't… give up…" Cloud rallied himself on, as he knelt beside the now-burning corpse of a SOLDIER.

But the fire was too strong and Cloud burnt his hand while trying to reach out of the side pocket of the corpse's uniform. What kind of sick irony it was that he had to pick the fire Materia at Lazards office, instead of ice. Basically anything else than fire.

Cloud gave up with the man on fire. He coughed, as he dragged himself across the floor. He had to just find Roche and somehow drag the man out of there. He held his burned hand and pressed on.

A metal bar from the ceiling fell down directly in front of him, tearing a hole in the floor as it fell through and spun toward the abyss below. Cloud took a step back, wondering if he could make the jump and get to the other side.

But then he felt it. The presence of evil.

Cloud turned around slowly, and indeed, a tall figure was walking through the fire as if it the flames were nothing but a trick of the eye.

"Sephiroth…"

Cloud rubbed his watery eyes. It was too hot to think or to even see properly. But there he was- Sephiroth's shape like a mirage amidst the destruction. And he was walking directly toward Cloud, persistent and somehow Cloud could tell he was very, very angry.

Absentmindedly, Cloud took steps back as Sephiroth came closer. Until there was nothing beneath the soles of his shoes. He was cornered on the edge.

"Cloud." Sephiroth's voice was the only thing Cloud heard, "How foolish of me to think I could let you run around freely."

Cloud shook his head and gave a stern look at the approaching man, "No, stay back!"

Sephiroth's lip twitched upward, "Or what? You'll push me?" Cloud wasn't sure if that was a joke, because his voice was as monotone as ever.

At that moment Cloud realized he had dropped his borrowed sword somewhere along the way. What a SOLDIER he was. Cloud wanted to smack himself.

"Unarmed and vulnerable." Sephiroth's eyes traced Cloud from head to toe, as if undressing him, "This is how it should be."

Cloud began to cough and raised both of his hands to cover his mouth. He had forgotten how badly his left hand had burned. But when Sephiroth saw his blistering skin, his face became paler than ever.

The solemn expression on Sephiroth's face, his thin lips in a straight line and his eyes narrowed, his silver appearance ghastly upon the fires on the backdrop. The way he moved slowly toward him, his long coat barely swaying along to his movements. It all reminded Cloud of a life that had been destroyed. It reminded him of how he lost a part of himself.

"No..." Cloud swayed on the edge while another pillar came down and shook the platform. "I need to…"

Cloud couldn't finish his sentence, as the floor under him sunk. He saw Sephiroth leap forward, his long arm outstretched and trying to grab him. Instead of reaching out his hand and allowing Sephiroth to save him, Cloud leaned back and surrendered himself to the fall.

The unknown depths below felt safer than touch of the devil.

-

As Cloud fell, he had a vision, or a dream. He wasn't sure, because everything felt both very painfully real but the images he saw were kind and reminded him of home.

At first there was a fire, circling Cloud and burning at his skin. He hugged himself to make himself smaller and hide from the flames licking at him.

But then there was a soothing green rain that put out the fire around Cloud. His fears were erased, when he looked up at a sunlight sky. Oddly there were no rain clouds, but the downpour persisted strongly, until there was nothing but ashes and charcoal around him. A yellow flower began to grow in the ashes, in full boom in mere seconds. Then another flower made its way through the ashes, and another.

Soon Cloud was surrounded in a pit of pale yellow flowers. He felt closer to the Earth than he had ever before. His bare feet were sunk in the soil and inside of him grew the excitement of the coming of a long lasting spring.

"There you are!"

Cloud's heart stopped beating as he heard a familiar voice. He turned around to see a tall man walk toward him, his broad shoulders moving back and forth as he made his way through the ashes and flowers. That dark black hair, pulled back in a ruffled mess of spikes and blue eyes that enforced the smile on his face. It couldn't be...

"Zack…" Cloud breathed out.

Zack came to him and pulled Cloud against his chest.

"It took me a while," Zack laughed, "But I told you I'd come to see you again."

Cloud pressed his palms against the muscled chest in front of him. He had missed this touch he had never experienced before. It all felt so familiar and right. Like this was how everything was supposed to be, once twists of fate sorted themselves out. The normal, the truth.

"Are you okay?" Zack grabbed Cloud by his shoulders and put some distance between them to be able to look at him in the eyes.

"I'm okay now." Cloud sported a rare small smile, "I just… I just missed you."

Zack's smile grew wider, "Aww!"

Suddenly a bright light flickered across Cloud's field of vision. It was an intruder from somewhere else. It didn't belong in this ashen flower field. It didn't belong with the world of him and Zack.

"Look, I've gotta go soon." Zack placed his palm gently against Cloud's cheek, "Promise me one thing though, before I go?"

Cloud grabbed a handful of Zack's uniform, trying to make him stay, "No, don't go!"

"Shh…" Zack hushed with an understanding smile. He pressed his forehead against Cloud's, and said, "After we are done with this mess, promise me to let me kiss you?"

Cloud opened his mouth to answer, but the scenery around him was fast evaporating. Zack's image stretched back like a train that was going the other way. The surface below Cloud started to give in and he began to submerge into a new level of darkness. He tried to fight back and return to that moment of happiness with his imaginary Zack.

-

Cloud woke up in a white cell. His head hurt, probably because of his fall to the depths of Dr. Hojo's lab. He groaned as he tried to sit up on the bed, only to find his hands and feet tied. He looked up and saw handcuffs around his wrists, the chain circulating around a metal bar in the headboard. His clothes had been removed and his body was fully exposed under a bright operating table light.

Feeling naked and sore, Cloud made a feeble attempt at escape. But it was like he was only half-awake with a numbness occasionally creeping up to his fingers and his toes.

There was an IV in him, he realized after a while of drifting between planes of existence. He looked at the drip and it looked like Mako, but this felt nothing like it had felt the first time he had been injected with the green essence. That had been painful, his muscles and veins wanting to burst open. Now he was more euphoric and instead of pain, he felt something borderlining pleasure.

A bright light was turned on directly above his head. Cloud turned his head away and closed his eyes, whimpering at the violent shine.

"Ahh… awake at last!"

Cloud slit his eyes open to see who was speaking to him.

"Dr. Ho… jo…" Cloud's tongue was in anaesthesia, barely moving.

"How lucky I am to get my hands on you!" Dr. Hojo's thin-lipped smile was wide but conveyed no warmth, "Now is a good time to finally have my tests with you, while everyone else is busy fighting. Something good about this mayhem taking place at my laboratory."

Cloud gasped as something sharp sunk deep in the muscle of his arm.

"Sephiroth made you really special, didn't he…" Hojo mumbled to himself, while pushing another needle deep into Cloud's arm, "There must be a reason for all this… The receptors in your blood, I saw them in the initial blood tests that we ran on you. The way your cells eat up Mako is not normal. It is incredible!"

Cloud felt his breath hitch, as he felt a cold liquid pushing into him. It felt like a vaccine. And Cloud felt increasingly warm despite the lack of clothes covering his pale flesh.

"If I can crack the code of your cellular structure, I can create a miracle. I can bring water to drought, life back to the dead."

Cloud let out a gasp as Dr. Hojo increased the flow of Mako through the IV. The sweet numbness was now mixed with pain that echoed deep inside Cloud's organs and behind his eyes. Suddenly the pain shapeshifted into an itch of pleasure, falling down towards Cloud's groin.

"It seems like you are reacting very differently than other SOLDIER. They went absolutely mad with this new compound of Mako. But you…" Dr. Hojo ran his long finger across Cloud's collarbone and down towards his navel, "For you… it brings something closer to an ecstasy."

Cloud felt ashamed as he felt himself blushing, his manhood getting harder. He gritted his teeth, as he wriggled weakly against the bindings around his wrist and ankles. He had his eyes closed, but he could tell how keenly Dr. Hojo was looking at him and taking in every last bit of his aroused state. While ridden with pleasure, he felt disgusted by the unwarranted attention.

"Is it making you feel that good?" Dr. Hojo asked and licked his lips.

"No!" Cloud whimpered, "What are you doing to me…?"

"Giving you a gift. Depending on your reaction, we can discover if you are our pathfinder to Paradise."

Cloud's head rolled back with a moan and his toes wrinkled as an increased dose of this new dangerous Mako entered his bloodstream. A set of tremors shook the wall, the fan on the ceiling clicking and about to fall down. It sounded like the whole place was about to collapse, just like the insides of Cloud collapsed as he shook with waves of nameless pleasure that left him fatigued and lifeless.

Cloud felt cold fingers running against his inner thighs, heading upward. Cloud tried to move away, but he was trapped.

Dr. Hojo laughed. Cloud thought of Zack.

"H-help… me!"


	7. Chapter 7

"So, you're trying to convince me that your eco-activist group _Avalanche_ is not going to benefit at all from storming into the Shinra headquarters with a 1st class SOLDIER?" Zack asked jokingly, "You could've told me about this little rebel group of yours before we left the slums, right?"

Tifa shook her head at Barret, a gigantic man with a gatling gun as his arm and a pair of sunglasses glued on his daunting muscular face. He seemed like he didn't enjoy Zack's presence one bit and was ready to blast his head off. However, Tifa and Aerith had insisted on bringing this man along, as he was not only strong and good at fighting, but also happened to be a local branch leader of an eco activist group called Avalanche.

"Too late for regrets." Tifa brushed it off, as they hid in the shadows and snuck under a surveillance camera on the side of the main entrance to Shinra Tower.

"The planet is dying because of Shinra. Lifestream itself cries as Mako is pumped out of the ground." Barret frowned as he spoke in his trademark throaty voice, "We are going to save our friend Cloud, but also if we can, we're going to leave a dent in Shinra's rep. No question 'bout it."

Zack rolled his eyes, "Right. Well, I'll step out of your way if you need to do your Shinra shaming business. I'm only interested in one thing." _Cloud_.

They had reached Shinra Tower after visiting Cloud's dorm. Zack had hoped he'd be able to find the spiky-haired young man waiting for him at the roof of the dorm building, but he was nowhere to be seen. The dorm room was vacant of both Cloud and his roommate Roche. Virtually the man could be anywhere, but his best bet would be the Tower in Sector 0.

After Tifa's confession, Zack hadn't thought of much else except for Cloud. The more Zack revisited his memories and of the events that had unfolded on the bridge two weeks ago, he couldn't shake the feeling that Cloud was somehow involved in all of it.

It was all too much of a coincidence to happen at once- him meeting Cloud and realizing he wanted to spend more time with him. Then the sudden mission that at first glance appeared to be a novice-level assessment. The SOLDIERs who went berserk on him and the explosion- it was almost as if someone had wanted Zack dead. What a lazy attempt it had been.

The last piece of the puzzle seemed to be Sephiroth and his apparent fixation on Cloud. Zack didn't want to jump into conclusions… but Zack was almost certain that the older 1st class SOLDIER was pulling at the strings.

"Hey, stop daydreaming!" Aerith whispered, as they crouched next to a flight of stairs by the entrance.

"You should go first." Tifa motioned at Zack, "Make sure the way is clear before we head in."

"So much for secret operations. Heading in right through the front entrance." Zack straightened to his feet, "We should've sent them a card and told them that we're coming."

The Avalanche crew was giving him piercing stares as he ascended the stairs with a laugh. A pair of sliding doors slid open in front of him and he entered the lobby, which echoed in its emptiness.

"Hel-looo?" Zack called out, but no one replied to him. Even the ever-present receptionist was gone. Them being gone spelled bad things happening.

Zack gestured to his newfound companions to follow him. They followed suit and took in their surroundings in a mix of awe and disgust. They must have been taken aback by the high ceilings and exquisite decor, but realized that all this was at the expense of the planet. Zack wasn't sure if he didn't completely share their confused feelings.

"It's just around five." Tifa swallowed hard and she seemed nervous, "It can't be this quiet at this time of day."

"My thoughts exactly." Zack agreed, "Something's up. We should proceed with care."

As if ordained, a blast shot through a wall at the far end of the lobby. Pieces of the wall shot up in the air and landed all around the lobby. Zack took a half step back and unsheathed his sword. Something was coming.

"Watch out!" Zack warned the others and all of them readied themselves for battle.

A motorcycle jumped out of the hole in the wall and drifted into the lobby. The movements were clumsy and the bike almost hit the receptionist desk, before it collapsed on the floor. Zack recognized a familiar tuft of long blond hair.

"Roche?"

Roche, now trapped under the fallen over motorcycle, was roughed up beyond measure. His face was bruised and there were shards of glass falling off of him. His sleeves were torn and his arms covered in deep burns, his skin hardly intact.

"Zack? Man…" Roche coughed and tried to push the vehicle away from him, "...What a coincidence."

"Is this your friend?" Barret asked as he walked to Roche and lifted the bike with his non-gun-replaced hand.

"A friend, yes." Zack said, "But not the one we're looking for."

Aerith bent next to Roche and inspected his wounds, "Poor thing. We need to remove some of that glass for your wounds to heal properly. But I can give you some first aid."

Aerith cast a healing spell on Roche, the green spell serpenting around Roche's arms and torso. Gradually his skin became clearer and his burnt skin restored its original elasticity. The man let out a sigh of relief, as his pain eased and he was able to sit up on his own. Aerith placed her hand on his shoulder and gave him a reassuring smile telling him that he would be okay,

"I thought I was done for." Roche shook his head.

"What's going on here?" Tifa asked Roche, still looking around and alert.

"I don't know…" Roche muttered, "Zack, I'm sorry… I hid away for two weeks before I had the guts of coming back here. I went completely crazy, all I could smell was Mako and I had this urge to just kill anyone on my way. Friend or foe." He paused to inhale a shaky breath, "And now it happened here. Some of the SOLDIERs just went crazy and started attacking us."

Zack put his sword back in its holster, "This is bad."

"Hey, you SOLDIER boy, explain." Barret took an intimidating step toward Zack, "You led us into a trap, didn't you?"

Tifa caught Barret by his arm and snapped at him, "Stop that Barret. I get the feeling that it's much more complicated than that."

Zack had his eyes focused at Roche, "Where's Cloud?"

At the mention of his name, Roche's shoulders slumped. Aerith turned to look at Zack and gave him the look of _he's hurt, go easy on him_. But Zack needed to know if Cloud was safe and alive. He didn't care for anything else.

"Cloud, he…" Roche frowned deeply, "He came and saved my life. But then, boom. An explosion. Last thing I remember before I fell down, was Sephiroth trying to grab him, but he fell down. When I came to, he wasn't with me. I don't know what happened to him."

"Sephiroth." Zack and Tifa said in unison, both of them shivering at the name.

"I don't think that he's dead." Roche confirmed, "He must be still somewhere here, in the Tower. I'd check the lower floors if I were you. We were in Dr. Hojo's lab when it collapsed, but it seemed like the fall from there went on forever. When I came to, I woke up in the garage."

Tifa held her chin as she contemplated something. Zack looked at Aerith and Barret for ideas on how to proceed. Shinra Tower had a lot of area to cover, they'd need a clever way of navigating through it. Especially if there were some crazed SOLDIERs roaming about.

"Look, over there." Tifa said finally, pointing at the receptionist's desk, "Do you see those monitors? Do you think we could access the CCTV footage from those?"

Aerith smiled, "Nice thinking Tifa! Assuming that Cloud fell in the garage as well, we could see if something happened there."

No one needed to tell Zack twice, as he leaped over the counter of the reception desk and started tapping on the keyboards. As suspected, it was possible to rewind the CCTV footage on them. Zack hit the keyboards hard, hoping that the smacking of the plastic would make the device work faster.

Tifa jumped in after him and scolded, "Stop slapping it, you'll break it."

Zack didn't say anything, as his gaze was focused on the rewinding image of the garage. They could see the past version of Roche escaping in reverse, on the motorcycle, climbing down from it to the floor and crawling back to a flattened position on the floor.

"Stop right there! Did you see that?" Tifa pointed at the monitor. And sure enough, Zack had seen that as well.

Zack stopped the reverse and let the film play. At the corner of the screen, they could see Cloud lying on the floor, unmoving with his face down on the floor. Even though the footage was blurry and occasionally cut off, Zack was sure it was Cloud. He wouldn't forget that head full of golden yellow spikes.

A group of infantrymen busted in through a door at the back, circling around lifeless Cloud. And behind them, strode in none other than Dr. Hojo.

"Man…" Zack balled his fist, "Not him…"

The infantrymen collected Cloud from the floor, and Dr. Hojo motioned something at them. Zack didn't know which one was putting Cloud into a more evident predisposition of danger, Sephiroth or Dr. Hojo.

Tifa turned to look at Zack and could see from his face that the situation was dire.

"Do you know where this man could've taken Cloud?" Tifa asked.

"Dr. Hojo. His laboratory was destroyed, but…" Zack turned to look at the dark-haired woman, "I've heard he has an additional laboratory area underground. That sly bastard must've hidden away there."

Tifa nodded her head, "Then we have no time to lose."

-

Barret and Zack had moved Roche behind the receptionist counter to hide and recover. Zack wasn't sure how to reach the underground facilities, as everything he knew about them was just rumours. The whispered stories of the hidden laboratory were never good- people talked about horrible experiments that didn't stand the light of day and had to be conducted in secret bases. Zack never had wanted to think too much on this dark side of Shinra.

They went down into the garage, through the hole in the wall that Roche had conveniently blown up with a grenade. Most of the Shinra vehicles were gone, taken by people who had had the time to escape the premises. Zack saw also how the exit was barricaded from the inside with a thick metal door. That would explain why Roche had to do some fireworks to escape.

The door they'd seen Dr. Hojo and his men use in the CCTV footage was at the far end of the garage. Even though Zack had come to the garage fairly often, he'd never before noticed the door. It was somehow blending well with the concrete wall, in a shadowy corner. Beyond that door they hit a roadblock inside an elevator that wouldn't budge without a correct access card.

"This is bullshit!" Barret exclaimed, as they stood inside the unmoving elevator, "We should've brought Jessie with us! What the hell is this technology!"

Infuriated, Barret shot at the elevator's panels. Suddenly the elevator twitched and began moving down. Tifa let out a small laugh of relief and Aerith just shook her head, her arms folded above her chest.

"Wow, nice hack Mr. Guns." Zack lifted his eyebrow and gave a small laugh, "Not the most elegant way to go down, but I'll take it."

Barret simply grunted and massaged the joint where his arm and machine gun merged into one. A smile on his face gave Zack hope that he was warming up to his presence.

"Do you think that Cloud is going to be okay?" Tifa asked Zack, stepping to his side.

Zack didn't want to think of a worst case scenario. If Sephiroth was interested in Cloud, it could easily follow that there was something peculiar in him that also Dr. Hojo found interesting. If that was the case, there was no telling what kind of tests that old sleazy pervert may want to run on him.

"I'm sure." Zack said, not sure whether he was trying to reassure himself or Tifa, "Cloud is a tough nut. He's much more strong than people give him credit for."

"True." Tifa smiled and placed her hand on top of her heart, "But this time, I'll make sure not to let him down. He needs us." She paused to think and with a nod she continued, "Somehow, I can tell that he needs _you_ , Zack."

"I…" _I also need him_ , Zack started but omitted the rest, as he figured that it was something that only Cloud needed to hear.

The elevator came to a halt and with a hearty 'pling' the doors flung open. A long white corridor stretched out in front of them, looking as uninviting as any underground secret research laboratory ever could. The hanging lights were flickering on the ceiling. It was unsettlingly quiet.

Zack took the lead as they walked down the corridor. Their shadows were dark and long on the white plastic floor. There were no doors or windows. Only sterile whiteness and air heavy with anticipation.

As they neared a junction in the corridor, a scream suddenly pierced the vacuum of silence. Zack quickly grabbed his sword, while Tifa leaped in front of Barret and Aerith. A commotion was taking place just around the corner, it sounded like something, _or someone_ was being thrown around.

They turned a corner and reached an open space. The spacy room was most likely leisure area with two-seated couches in a row, vending machines and a couple of flat TVs on the wall. But it had been turned into a pit of blood and unconscious infantrymen, as one of the last ones standing were thrown at a glass wall that separated a small kitchen from rest of the room. The wall shattered like thin ice, raining down with the fallen man.

In the midst of lifeless infantrymen stood Sephiroth. His sword was piercing a man on the floor by his arm, pinning him on his place. His dark leather jacket was drenched in blood, while his wildly long gray hair was amazingly stainless. Zack couldn't see his face from where he was standing, but he could _feel_ the Mako seeping out of him.

The man had lost control. But this loss of control was different than what had happened to Roche and the other SOLDIERs. This man was possessed by a force of a different kind. Zack's face turned to a frown as he realized what Sephiroth had come down here to find.

"Where. Is. He." Sephiroth's voice was thick with anger.

"Sir, I… I don't know, I was just following orders… Ah!"

"I asked. _Where_. _Is. He._ " Sephiroth repeated, but the man had no answers for him. With an easy flick of his wrist, he cut open his throat and abandoned him on the floor.

Zack took a step forward, but Tifa grabbed him and pulled him behind the corner just as Sephiroth turned around.

"Sephiroth is still looking for him, that's good." Tifa whispered, loud enough for Zack and her Avalanche accomplices to hear, "That means Cloud's not with him, and he's probably somewhere down here."

"We need to stop him." Zack yanked his arm away from Tifa, "At this rate Shinra'll have no men left. He's going to kill everyone. I've got to stop him."

"I know…! But I also know he's _strong_."

Barret cleared his throat, "You'll go on and find Cloud. I'll stall this guy."

"No way!" Aerith shook her head, "It's too dangerous! I'll go with you."

"Me too." Tifa smiled and turned to look at Zack, "It's best if you go and find Cloud. You'll be able to handle some resistance on your own."

Zack looked at the Avalanche and wondered where their courage stemmed from. They had no Mako in their veins and only weak Materia to help them in battle. And they were ready to risk their lives to save Cloud, whom Aerith and Barret didn't even know. Was this all for the sake of the planet?

"Why…?" Zack asked.

"Why what?" Tifa brushed hair off her shoulder.

"We're friends now, aren't we?" Aerith piped in with a cheeky wink, "Friends are not going to let planet-destroyers take their friends!"

"But, it's dang-..."

"Dangerous, yes." Tifa cut him off, "But that we knew from the moment we came along. Don't worry, this is not our first fight."

"Tonight, we'll make history!" Barret rallied, as he twisted around the corner, ready for a fight.

Tifa and Aerith followed the sound of a gatling gun and Barret's relentless warcry. Zack closed his eyes and conjured up the image of Cloud's face. Suddenly there were too many lives on the line. Ultimately, this was the time he had to choose his side. Raising his hands against Sephiroth meant turning his back on his life here at Shinra. His dream had always been to be the strongest SOLDIER and a hero of mankind.

His initial plan of extracting Cloud and escaping had been so much simpler and didn't put his career in jeopardy. But now it seemed like there was a rift between two sides, which could no longer be brushed aside. For Zack, it wasn't as much about higher goals like the planet or never-ending source of energy. For him it was disgust and distaste for the suffering Sephiroth put Cloud through. And now his new friends were in danger as well, because of this corrupt man.

Looking at it from a very personal point of view, it was easy to distinguish right from wrong.

" _I'm not sure I believe in fate._ " Cloud's words, felt like a thousand years ago since he'd heard him say that.

Zack half-smiled and shrugged. It was increasingly more evident that fate was not as straightforward as he had thought. It hadn't turned out to be a night out in the town, listening to Cloud's steady breathing while laying tangled in each other on a bed, in a hotel, in Zack's room, or even just under the dangerous Midgar sky.

 _I'm sorry, Cloud_ , Zack hoped that his thoughts would reach Cloud, _I'll need to do a small detour. But I'm coming for you_.

-

Cloud hissed in pain as Dr. Hojo took a blood sample from the tip of his finger. The tiny needle pierced his sensitive skin, drawing drops of blood. Cloud was feeling hot and sweat was dripping down his neck. Something inside of him wanted to be set free, while his touch with reality was coming loose.

"Good, good." Dr. Hojo said as he retreated to his small desk with a sample of Cloud's blood, "It seems like the power is awakening."

Cloud's arms were numb. The blood flow from his heart to the tips of his fingers had slowed down. He felt relieved to not have Dr. Hojo's hands on him anymore. Those long fingers had touched him everywhere, measuring him and inspecting every nook and crook of his physique.

A smell of enticing flowers filled Cloud's nostrils. An invisible breeze caressed his cheek, like a motherly hand wiping his sweat away. The sensations were real, but he knew he was hallucinating. Inside this room of white, there was no way a summer breeze or a smell of flowers could reach him.

A single tear rolled down Cloud's eye. A memory, a presence from the past had come to revisit him. Or maybe they had always been there, but Cloud hadn't been able to feel it. He had been too focused on seeing what was right in front of him and disregarded this dimension that was ever present.

"M-mom?" Cloud mumbled quietly at the zephyr, that was now caressing his hair, "I'm... sorry."

The words barely came out of Cloud's mouth, but he wasn't sure why he was apologizing for anything. Neither did the gust, as it tickled his ear and a wordless whisper told him _it is not your fault_.

Cloud closed his eyes and he could see outlines of figures, like light paint brushes on a dark canvas. They were more like a continuous stream that blended into each other rather than a single person outlined as one could expect to see in the visible world.

"Z-Zack..." Cloud's chapped lips barely moved as he spoke to the stream, " _Help Zack…_ "


	8. Chapter 8

"You've made a terrible mistake, Zack Fair."

The fight against Sephiroth was ruthless. Even with the four of them, they seemed to be outsmarted by the man. The way he tread the battlefield was not normal- he was fast to dodge and even faster to attack. Even when a critical hit was landed on him, he brushed it off as if it was nothing.

Only Zack had a fighting chance against him. Tifa was swiftly knocked out as she tried to engage in hand-to-hand combat. Barret was soon to follow, as he missed his chance to block an incoming attack. Aerith had stayed up for a while longer, as she tried to keep her distance and heal her friends, but she too was ultimately taken out by a ball of fire that Sephiroth threw at her.

"What are you hoping to gain by coming here and sacrificing the lives of your feeble friends in this manner?" Sephiroth spoke, as he pointed the Masamune at Tifa, Aerith and Barret, who were lying on the floor.

"I could ask you the same!" Zack held his sword with his two hands, "What are you doing killing Shinra's men? What kind of madness has taken over you?"

"These men stood in my way." Sephiroth let out a dry laugh, "As do you. How convenient that you marched right into my hands. This time, I shall finish the job myself."

Sephiroth flew toward Zack, the Masamune glittering under the lights on the ceiling. Zack slammed his Buster sword against Sephiroth's blade, the two sharp objects screeching against each other as they fought for dominance.

"I will kill you. I will destroy your remains and delete you from existence. Only then, _Cloud_ will surrender to me."

Zack felt a surge of anger at the mention of Cloud's name. With a furious roar he pushed Sephiroth back and lunged at him. Sephiroth dodged, and moved to the side.

"You monster!" Zack screamed at Sephiroth, "You keep your filthy hands off of him!"

"Filthy?" Sephiroth looked at his palm, "These hands are going to give Cloud whatever his heart desiders. Together with him, I shall bring forth the Promised Land. And for all eternity, I shall have him. Such as he has forever been and shall forever be only mine."

"You can't _have_ a person, Sephiroth!"

"Can't I?" Sephiroth threw a thin mocking smile at Zack, "Says a man who would gladly pleasure himself with the thought of my pure Cloud. You've defiled him. You've brought ruin to Paradise."

Zack was taken aback that Sephiroth knew of his lone tryst with the thought of Cloud. Those words invited doubt to Zack's previously unwavering resolve. Was he any better than Sephiroth? If he was to find Cloud here, could he make sure that he would not just try to own him like a man owns an object?

"That's right. I've seen the darkness inside your heart. You are not deserving of the New World that is to come. You are the devil that needs to be disposed of."

Zack was surprised by Sephiroth's long katana and only barely avoided it. While dodging, he was able to slash at Sephiroth's side. It was a small victory, but it drew blood and forced Sephiroth to stagger back, holding his chest.

"That's not true…!" Zack gritted his teeth in anger, "I only want to make sure he's safe. You're the one who-" Zack couldn't finish the sentence. The thought of Sephiroth making forced love to Cloud was too much to bear.

"This anger is blinding you." Sephiroth said all knowingly.

Taunted by everything Sephiroth represented, Zack took a daring chance and tried to finish him off by attacking from the side. He dashed with his sword in the air, strength building in him, ready to be unleashed for a finishing move.

Sephiroth wasn't unaware of Zack's plan. Just as Zack's death blow was destined to cut the side of his neck, he vanished from view. Stunned by a trick Zack had never seen in his life, he came to a halt. He looked around himself, but the silver-haired predator was nowhere to be seen.

Zack looked up in time to see the man landing on him. The masamune swung hard at Buster sword's handle, the force pulling it out of Zack's grasp and disarming him. The thick sword flew across the air and landed next to unconscious Tifa.

"It's over."

Zack stumbled back and fell over a row of seats in the middle of the room. He scrambled back, as Sephiroth advanced on him.

"I don't even wish to hear your last words." Sephiroth brought the tip of his sword at Zack's chest, "For this world needn't any more of filth such as you."

"Fuck you!" Zack yelled, "Never in million aeons will Cloud surrender to you! He'll fight to the fucking end!"

Sephiroth seemed to be at his wits end. Zack was getting under his skin, but it was too late. The dark-haired SOLDIER needed to think of something fast or he'd be just a piece of meat staked by this monstrous weapon.

The older 1st class SOLDIER pulled the sword back prior to his final attack. Zack kept his eyes at the man. If he was fast enough, he could dodge the attack with minimal damage. He could keep running and fighting, prolonging the inevitable. But it was clear that Sephiroth was no ordinary SOLDIER and no ordinary tactic would ever bring him down.

But Zack knew he wouldn't die. He couldn't - he had to save Cloud and take him far, far away from Midgar. There was a storyline where he had to play the hero, until he could be sure that Cloud was safe. And for some unfathomable reason that seemed to be the sole purpose left for Zack's poor life.

Sephiroth sliced Masamune through the air, and Zack was just too slow to dodge it fully. The sword caught him by the side of his lower abdomen and pierced all the way through the floor under him. But Zack could tell that the intended fatal blow had fallen short of its aim and missed his critical organs. Not to say that it wouldn't have hurt like hell, but Zack would never let Sephiroth know that.

"That's the best you've got?" Zack caught the blade with his hands, pushing back against it, "What kind of a legendary 1st class SOLDIER would miss at point blank range?"

Sephiroth's eyes were overtaken by fury as his expressionless face twisted with absolute madness and hate. The sword flung back once more, spilling blood across the white floor. The next blow wouldn't be as kind as this one.

What happened next was something Zack could only call divine intervention.

An invisible storm entered the room and grabbed Sephiroth's sword. It was his time to be disarmed, most likely for the first time in his life, as the Masamune slipped his fingers and was thrown at a wall, where it stuck like a pin in a cushion.

"Cloud? No!" Sephiroth's voice was muffled by a force that was trapping him. The man tried to fight his way out of his predicament, trying to swing and swim out of the invisible sea around him.

Zack knew he had no time to lose. He went to grab Masamune, as it was closer than his own sword. It was surprisingly light to handle, compared to what he was used to. The blade was stained in Zack's blood, but he prayed that it would be the last bit of foreign blood this sword would ever see.

Sephiroth tried to cast a spell, but it was suffocated by the invisible visitor. It was the end for him. But there was no fear in his eyes.

With a cry for strength, Zack hurled the Masamune at Sephiroth with all of the strength he had in his muscles. His supporting feet wobbled, as his body shook with the aftershock of the pitch. Masamune pierced Sephiroth with the force of a thunder, a power that could only mustered by a man who'd given his everything to end him.

Sephiroth flung at a wall, which gave out and crumbled. He disappeared somewhere under the rubble, only the katana's handle visible amidst the destruction.

Zack wondered if it was over. He went down on his knees as he held his stomach, keeping his eyes at the turmoil left behind by Sephiroth. His heart was beating hard against his chest, reminding that he was still alive and he hadn't been wrong about Fate not letting him die in this wretched facility.

After regaining his regular rhythm for breathing, Zack made his way over to the Avalanche crew. He grabbed Aerith by her shoulder and shook the brown-haired woman gently.

"Hey… Time to wake up!"

Aerith frowned as she came too slowly. It seemed like she hadn't sustained any major injuries, except for a deep bruise on her forehead. She seemed stunned for a moment, before she connected the dots and remembered where she was.

"Tifa! Barret!" She turned to look at her comrades, fumbling for potions in her pouch.

Zack helped her to fend for her friends. She pressed a potion on Tifa's arm, and inspected a wound on Barret's back.

"Is it over? The fight?" Aerith asked.

"At least for now." Zack winced at his own wound, but figured it was best to use potions on others. He had Mako patching him up from the inside.

"You're hurt, too."

"I'm okay. I need to find Cloud."

"Yes, of course." Aerith nodded her head, seemingly a little disappointed, "I wasn't expecting this fight to go this horribly bad. If you hadn't been here with us, we would've…"

"Hey, you said it yourself. _Friends are not going to let planet-destroyers take their friends_." Zack mimicked Aerith's girly voice as he repeated what she had said.

Aerith chuckled, more relieved. She handed a potion to Zack.

"Now go. There's a prince waiting for your rescue. We'll be fine from now on."

Zack nodded his head. His reunion with Cloud was long overdue.

-

The underground laboratory was not a small complex. Zack cursed under his breath, as held his still healing wound in his stomach. He found himself going in circles, slamming open door after door to empty rooms and storages. There was no map and the constant whiteness and hallways that were replicas of one another made it hard to conceptualize the layout of the facility.

Why would Shinra even waste their money in this manner and build this humongous facility underground, if it was used only for storage. The rumours of hideous research taking place in these facilities seemed very far fetched at that moment.

 _Cloud, where are you_ , Zack was growing frantic. He needed to find him, needed to hold him and tell him he's sorry he was late. If Dr. Hojo had done anything to hurt him… Zack wasn't sure if he could keep his head cool in that case.

Zack tore open a door and cursed when there was nothing but empty test tubes and books, neatly piled on shelves around the walls. But no hint of a face with a small pout, or a dash of that miraculously yellow hair. It felt all too unfair.

It was with a heavy sigh that Zack closed the door and commenced his journey through the facility. It was hard to concentrate and if anyone would have ambushed him, they would have probably gotten an upper hand. He was only thinking about Cloud, imagining him in a white T-shirt and his skin glowing in the autumn sunset.

 _Fuck me,_ Zack thought to himself, _I'm fucked_.

Zack almost sprinted past a smaller corridor, but something made him stop. There was a small voice, barely audible. Zack reversed and he heard it again. It was a moan, or a cry. It was a muffled cry for help, but something didn't sound right.

The foundations of the building trembled, as Zack walked closer to a lone door at the end of the small corridor. The whole Shinra Tower could crumble to pieces around him, but he wouldn't leave without Cloud.

His hand now the door handle, he realized that the voice sounded like Cloud. Zack's blood rushed to his ears.

"Cloud!" Zack yelled out, as he slammed open the door.

What Zack saw made him lose all faith in humanity.

Cloud was lying naked on a bare metal operating table, his hands tied above his head and ankles fastened against the other end of the metal bed. Two different IV drops were attached to him, pumping him full of Mako that had a weird and unfamiliar hue of green in it. His swollen lips were slightly parted and his cheeks were damp with tears.

And there was Dr. Hojo. His hand was between Cloud's legs, snaking between his inner thighs. The doctor had a surprised look on his face, as he turned to look at Zack.

"Oh, it's you, Zack Fair." Dr. Hojo didn't remove his hand, "They said you'd be dead. But that's good. It would have been a shame to see a masterpiece like you die such a pitiful death."

Self control lost contact with Zack's limbic system. He leaped at Dr. Hojo and grabbed him by the collar of his lab coat and threw him away from Cloud. The doctor fell on the floor, ungracefully taking down test tables and scalpels with him.

Zack picked him up from the floor and pressed him up against the wall. He kept him at an arm's length away, as he punched him directly in his face three times, each time his fist met with his face he felt a spark of satisfaction igniting. He didn't need to know the details of what had just happened. All wanted was the miserable excuse of a _doctor_ to suffer.

"Zack…" Cloud's voice was fragile, as it called out to Zack.

Zack gritted his teeth, stopping his fist in mid-air. Dr. Hojo's nose was busted and bleeding, his small eyeglasses broken. He looked absolutely pitiful. This man didn't even deserve to die. He deserved to rot forever in Hell.

Zack let him fall on the floor, as he went over to Cloud. The young SOLDIER looked so thin in his naked state. The Mako was affecting him in weird ways. It made his skin prickled and he seemed feverish. The harshness caused by a burst of anger was dissolving from Zack's features, as he brushed his knuckles against Cloud's cheek. The mix of sweat and tears was a reminder of the pain he must have gone through and it broke Zack's heart.

Zack grabbed the IVs attached to Cloud's arm and pulled them out as gently as he could. Cloud moaned as the needles slowly exited his skin. His eyes were half-lid, his lush eyelashes fluttering sluggishly as he looked at Zack.

"You..." Cloud breathed out, "...c... came"

Zack shook his head, "Cloud, of course I came for you." He removed the straps around his wrist and ankles.

He brushed off his jacket and placed it around Cloud's shoulders. The smaller man was able to find refuge in the piece of clothing and hide his naked torso all the way to his thighs. He was very sluggish in his movements and sedated.

"Cloud… I'm sorry it took me so long." Zack reached out to touch Cloud, but pulled his hand back. He was reminded of what Sephiroth had said. He'd defiled Cloud in his mind and even now, he couldn't help but adore the pale exposed skin. What an absolute douche he was.

Cloud was breathing heavily, as he wrapped Zack's jacket tighter around himself. He said nothing.

Zack opened his mouth to speak and repeatedly stopped himself. There were so many things he wanted to tell Cloud. How he'd missed him and how he had only dreamed of seeing him again. But not under these conditions, not like this. Cloud deserved so much more than to be exploited by these Shinra men.

"We should go." Zack said, "It's not safe here."

Cloud nodded his head slowly. He shifted on the bed and tipped his toes at the floor. He tried to stand up, but immediately lurched on his numb legs. Zack caught him in his arms and held him up.

"M-my… f… feet." Word's just barely rolled out of Cloud's mouth and his legs wobbled like a newborn deer.

"That's okay." Zack scooped Cloud up in his arms, "All good?"

Cloud was flustered and tried to hide his face from Zack. Blond hair poked at Zack, invading in his mouth as he looked down at the man in his arms. He made sure to wrap his jacket tight around Cloud and tucked it under his bottom to cover his naked body.

"No! You're making a grave mistake!" Dr. Hojo reached his hand out, "It'll be so much easier if you just walk away."

Zack stared down Dr. Hojo, having nothing but disgust for the man. The visionary between Mako-engineering and one of the reasons Zack was as powerful as he was. This scientist had always gone too far with his experiments, but this was the last time for Zack. Any tiny shred of respect he'd had previously had for the doctor was gone.

Dr. Hojo was left whimpering on the floor, when Zack walked out of the room. He pulled Cloud close to his chest. Zack became a shield whose sole purpose was to protect Cloud from the bad influence of the world. He hoped that Cloud could find a safe haven in his arms and that he wouldn't be scared that Zack would try to force himself onto him.

Exit signs guided them to the elevator that would take them back up to the surface. All the while Zack listened for any abnormalities in the way Cloud inhaled or exhaled. Comfort was found in the mutual silence and gradually Cloud's stiffness began to fade away. Zack didn't walk too fast so he could savour the closeness with Cloud, without overstepping any boundaries.

Having Cloud there in his arms, brought peace to Zack's restless mind. The anticipation he'd carried with him since the moment he set out on the mission on the bridge had narrowed Zack's vision. Every decision and every move was made only to get closer to Cloud. And now that he was here, the world opened up again and with Cloud, he felt confident in facing the unknowns of the world.

"I missed you." Zack said finally, wanting to touch base on how he felt about the other man, "It's so damn good to see you again."

"Zack, I…" Cloud trailed off.

"It's okay, you don't need to say anything. And I hope you don't mind me, umm…" Zack let out a nervous laugh, "That I'm holding you like this. I mean, I like it, I like it a lot. I just…"

Cloud pressed his cheek against Zack's chest. It was so innocent, like a child looking for solace. Zack peeked at Cloud's face. The man was so beautiful, even in his hurt and lost state. The greatest injustice was to find something this pure in the world and then humiliate him by earthly desires. Zack would never forgive anyone who had an ill thought about Cloud passing through their head.

"Cloud, I swear I'll never do anything to hurt you." Zack vowed out loud, while burying his nose in that lovely hair, "And I swear I'll do fucking anything to protect you from those who want to do you harm."

Cloud looked up at Zack, his blue eyes barely open, "Z… ack…"

"That's why I want to ask you…" Zack lowered his voice, as if afraid that someone may overhear them, "Once this is all over and done with I want to…"

A tremor shook the walls and lights flickered. Cloud let out a groan of pain, a drop of sweat rolling down his temple. Zack was reminded that they were not out of the woods yet.

At the final stretch of a hallway, Zack felt like he was doing a homerun. The foundations of the building had become unstable and he was afraid that the building may come down at any moment.

They were almost at the elevator. The walls shook again, this time more vigorously. And something was screaming at them, which Zack at first dismissed as a collapsing ceiling.

" _HE IS MINE._ "

Zack leaped into the elevator and kneed the button for going up. He held Cloud to his chest, as he turned around to witness a sight he'd rather not wanted to see.

Remains of a man were crawling towards them, covered in blood and one arm and one leg missing. The limbs he had left were twisted and turned, but out of sheer will and Mako, he was still fighting. It was childish of Zack to think that Sephiroth would die by his own sword, in a rubble in an underground facility. Like Zack, this man was a beast of Fate. And as Fates would have it, beasts would not go down until there was an ultimate showdown.

" _YOU FOOL._ " Sephiroth roared, his voice thundering in the collapsing corridor, " _HE IS MINE HE IS MINE HE IS MINE HE IS MINE HE IS MINE._ "

Cloud had turned to look at the crawling man. He was too sedated to feel imminent danger, but he was not oblivious to the fact that this man wanted to own him, to humiliate him. Zack could tell that Cloud was afraid by the way his shoulders tensed. Zack nudged at Cloud's face to hide his gaze in his chest. He didn't need to see this.

The doors began to close and Zack held Cloud closer, covering his head with his arm. The doors snapped close just in time before Sephiroth could reach inside. Behind the elevator doors the corridor collapsed on Sephiroth.

Zack let out a breath he had been holding. Cloud was staring wide-eyed at his chest.


	9. Chapter 9

"Quickly, jump in!" A woman's voice yelled as a pickup truck whirled to a stop in front of them.

Cloud felt droozy and he wasn't sure if he was imagining Tifa's face. Zack jumped on the cargo bed and placed him down, seating him on the floor. The whole building was shaking and pieces of debris were falling down around them. The fire sprinkles were sprouting water on the garage floor, putting out nonexistent fires.

It felt like they were trapped in an earthquake. Someone must have detonated bombs within the building. Or maybe it was set to self-destruct.

"Cloud!"

Cloud was now sure it was Tifa. He wanted to call out to her but his voice was still stuck somewhere below his throat, "Ti… fa…"

"Something's wrong with him." Zack explained, as he sat down next to Cloud, "We don't have time for this now. Tifa, drive!"

She didn't need to be told twice. She hit the pedal to the metal and spun the car around. Instead of taking the official exit, the car flew out of the garage into the lobby of Shinra Headquarters. They parked next to the receptionist desk.

"Barret, go pick Roche!" Tifa instructed her muscular friend.

Unconscious Roche was loaded on the cargo bed, while Barret took a seat at the front of the car with Tifa and Aerith.

"Hold on to something back there!" Tifa warned as she reversed, before launching full force at the glass doors.

Zack wrapped his arm around Cloud's shoulders and pulled him close against his side, while using his other hand to hold on to the car. He also threw his leg over Roche, to fasten him against the floor of the cargo bed.

Pieces of glass exploded around them as the pickup truck took an unconventional exit out of the tower. Tifa navigated through green bushes and benches of the Shinra Tower courtyard. Zack's knuckles turned white as he held onto the edges of the car, trying to keep Cloud and Roche onboard.

Tifa landed the car at the motorway, after which she hit the pedal once more and took them down the road toward Sector 7. Behind them a chain of explosions visibly shook the gigantic Tower. The wall-sized windows were bursting and shattering under the pressure of the collapsing building. The colossi was falling and Midgar would never look the same without the tower erected in the middle.

"Woohoo!" Aerith cheered, her fist pumping in the air as they made their great escape, "We are the best!"

Cloud's head rolled back so he was able to catch one last glimpse of the Shinra Tower. It was like watching fireworks. A celebration of some sort. An end of an era.

Cloud felt warm as his face pressed against the fabric of Zack's shirt. The man was sweaty, but the sweat had an alluring scent to it. Cloud realized he was very much still naked minus the jacket wrapped around him. But the Mako Dr. Hojo had inserted in him was still inside of him, making him feel hot and heavy. Being this close to Zack made his overly sensitive skin tingle.

Even though he felt stuck in his aroused state, he also couldn't forget Sephiroth's face, right before the elevator doors had closed on him. The man had always induced intimate fear in him. But this time it had been something else. It was a reminder that in some cases death could be a mercy and living the worst possible outcome.

"Hey." Zack must have felt Cloud stiffen once more, as he nudged at his shoulder, "What's wrong?"

"I, uh…" Cloud felt clumsy while trying to speak.

"Just relax, okay?" Zack could sense his unease and pulled him closer, "It's just an hour's drive. We'll be in the Sector 7 slums in no time! You can then catch up with your friend."

Cloud looked over through a small window in the back of the car's cabin and could see Tifa. She was alive. Not everything was lost in Nibelheim. Even back in Dr. Hojo's lab, he swore he had felt his mother there with him.

It gave Cloud hope that things were not as simple as they appeared to be. Maybe even death was fluid and no one ever actually left him behind. Life and death were just different positions in time, but it could be that somewhere out there was a land where time was not a forward-moving force, but its folds overlapped and existed all at once.

"Z… ack…" clearing his throat, Cloud tried to speak once more, "Thank… you…"

Zack smiled a smile that sent a vibration to Cloud's groin. It was that half smile, his left cheekbone twitching upward. His eyes smiled with him.

"Anything for you, Cloud."

Cloud felt unregrettably turned on. It must have been the intrusive Mako still stuck in his system, the joy of reunion and promise of a new beginning. But he really longed for Zack's touch. He mused if Zack could ever feel the same way.

The dark-haired man was not looking at Cloud any more. He had his eyes closed and a serene look on his skyward face. It also made Cloud wonder- what will happen next?

-

They arrived at Sector 7 slums and Zack had helped Cloud down on the ground. The blond boy's legs were still weak, but he could stand on his own while propped on Zack's arm.

Tifa came and wrapped her arms around Cloud in a long hug. She was crying into the nape of his neck, as he feebly tried to lift his arms and return the embrace. But it felt like his body was made out of lead. His nerve ends received only some of his brain signals while others got lost somewhere in the highway of his nervous system.

"I'm so, so sorry Cloud." Tifa wept, "I thought I'd never see you again. I'm sorry I was scared and back then in Nibelheim…"

Aerith came to stand next to Tifa and grabbed her gently by her arm, "Tifa, I think Cloud needs some rest. Maybe now's not the good time to…"

Tifa sobbed helplessly, but understood what her friend meant. She pulled away and held him up until Zack had solidified his arm around Cloud's waist. Tifa looked at the two of them while wiping her tears in her arm. Limping next to Zack, Cloud understood how small he was compared to the muscular and tall man.

They entered a bar, Seventh Heaven. It was a relatively clean and hip looking place, even though it was in a prime location of pub crawls in the Sector 7 slums. A jazz soundtrack was playing in the background, the round tables occupied by a handful of Midgar residents. They were enjoying their alcoholic beverages while their eyes keenly followed Cloud, whose small spaces were aided by Zack.

One of the bar goers whistled at the long naked legs poking out under the large jacket wrapped around Cloud. Zack was about to grab his sword and cut their tongue out, but Barret stepped in.

"What are you staring at, huh?" Barret hollered at them, the batwing doors flapping behind him, "Keep your eyes on your drinks or I'll have you taste my gun."

A young brown-haired girl with a bob style haircut came running down a flight of stairs next to the bar counter, "Daddy!"

"Marlene!" Barret bent down and picked up the small doe-eyed girl, "Oohh, daddy missed you so much!"

Marlene looked at Cloud, "Daddy, is he okay?"

"Yes, yes. He's just very tired, you see. He had a long day."

At that point Cloud realized that despite the clearness of his mind, his body must have looked like a total trainwreck. He was barely able to move, much less able to speak. In addition, the feeling of arousedness had not fully left his body. It was an annoying itch and now that he couldn't even move, he was unable to relieve himself of it.

"Take him upstairs." Tifa told Zack, "There's a spare bedroom at the top of the stairs, to the right. It'd be best if you stayed here for the time being."

Zack nodded his head, "Only till he gets better."

Tifa looked into Cloud's eyes. He could see how much she wanted to talk and spend time with him. They were best friends, but now Cloud couldn't even tell her how happy he was to see her. All of his thoughts were prisoners of his head, locked in by his inability to speak.

Zack lifted Cloud in his arms as he went up the stairs. He was careful not to hit Cloud's head or feet anywhere in the narrow staircase. Cloud felt so absolutely useless.

The spare room was simple in its decor. There was a twin-size bed, an empty desk and a small closet. It looked like a room that someone had forgotten they'd had and never used. It was late and the sun had most likely already set, but it made no difference in the slums. Only a big metal saucer covered the sky, with huge lights attached to it, mocking the image of the sun.

Zack's movements were gentle as he laid Cloud down on the bed. After so much time, they were finally alone. And Cloud was sinking deeper into his uselessness, as he tried to reach his hand out to grab a hold of Zack's.

"Look, I'm sure you'll be fine, alright?" Zack spoke to Cloud as if he wasn't sure if Cloud heard him, "Scratch that. I'll fucking make it alright. No matter what it takes, Cloud I…"

"K…i…" Kiss me, end my suffering. Release this tension inside of me.

Zack pressed his palms against his eyes, while gritting his teeth, "Why was I so slow?! Why the hell did I have to go on that mission… I should've just ran away and met you at the roof."

Cloud opened his mouth. Nothing came out.

"Fuck Shinra… Fuck Sephiroth…!" Zack stood up and kicked a small chair by the bed, "How was I so blind? This is not real, how could anyone hurt anyone like this!"

A tear of frustration rolled down Cloud's eye as he watched Zack fight against the furniture. He saw how his arm muscles flexed and relaxed, as he threw his arms up in the air. Cloud wondered if he would ever have the chance to surrender to those arms.

There's no need to fight, Cloud wanted to tell Zack, just come lay down with me. Let's just forget about today.

But Zack was lost in his despair and he stormed out the room. Cloud's eyelids rolled close, as he lost hope.

An evil voice whispered in his head, but Cloud wasn't sure if its origin was foreign or something smothered deep inside of him. It told him that he's broken and no one wants him. There was a memory that wanted to surface. But to allow himself to remember meant to disarm his defences and discover something horribly disjointed within him.

He tried to fight to stay afloat, but in his mind, he fell down in slow motion, into a never ending darkness. His body stayed flat on the bed, but a part of him fled into the night, running far away from Midgar, beyond the Badlands and to the West.

-

Cloud's attention was brought back to the field of yellow flowers, a plane of existence somewhere in the depths of his unconscious headspace. The same flowers, the same unceasing rain, but the atmosphere was different. Something was buried beneath his feet, a corpse or a crucial piece of a puzzle.

Falling down on his hands and knees, Cloud began to dig through the black soil. Something was telling him that despite the weight of the revelation waiting for him, he needed to know. It was important for him to remember.

Cloud's fingers found something hard hidden underground. He brushed off the soil from a wooden door. It was made out of hardwood and looked like a door to a cellar. Its appearance rang no bells in Cloud's head.

He heaved the door open. Its weight surprised Cloud. Either the door wasn't meant to be opened, or Cloud's muscles had eroded away.

Beyond the door, there was a staircase leading down. At that point Cloud remembered something- it was a place he knew. Standing at the bottom of the stairs, there was a door with Shinra's insignia carved on it. There was no doubt- he had been through this door many times before in Nibelheim. It was a library, an archive, dedicated to Shinra's research.

"Something happened here…" Cloud spoke quietly to himself, reaching for the door handle "How could I forget?"

He opened the door and in that moment memories began flooding back. Rewinding back through the flames and destruction of Nibelheim, it all was coming back to him.

He saw a young man, who looked unmistakingly like him. That spiked light-colored hair, a uniform of an infantryman, a serious look on his face, but not as serious as Cloud had these days. It was Cloud alright, but it was a Cloud of some other decade. Not even a younger version of himself, but a man who had dreams and hopes, who didn't simply turn away from his own feelings.

But more importantly, there was someone in the room with this other Cloud. At first it looked like a tall dark shadow, until the features of the person started to come into view. And it only took a sliver of that long hair and a glimpse of those evil green eyes to know who it was.

Sephiroth.

A flash of light, like a slide switched on a projector, there was a new scene playing out in front of him.

Sephiroth was seated on a chair by a sturdy desk, his head propped back in ecstasy. Cloud saw his reflection trapped under the table and between Sephiroth's legs. His other hand was grasping the other Cloud's hair, feeding his cock deep into his mouth. The young man had tears brimming in his eyes, and a gag reflex hitting him hard. He tried to pull back, but Sephiroth didn't allow him. He was suffocating.

Cloud covered his mouth. He, too, felt the suffocation, the fear and the pain. It wasn't his imagination- this was a memory. A time he had forgotten. But something he needed to remember.

The next image was this other Cloud trying to run away. Sephiroth caught him, and pulled his trousers down, forcing him down on the floor and pushing himself inside of the man on the floor. This old version of Cloud was crying in pain, begging the SOLDIER to stop and let him go. But the man's thrusts grew more forceful upon each plea.

Cloud watched himself get assaulted, his body flipped around on the floor. Sephiroth embraced the small body forcefully, crushing the other one with a kiss that held no love. Teeth sunk into the bottom lip, nails scratching the pale skin.

A new scene. This time Cloud was on his knees on the desk, while Sephiroth pressed himself deep inside Cloud. It was dry and painful. But with his long fingers around Cloud's forcefully erected penis, he forced the man over the edge and unleashed his semen all over his stomach. The climax for Cloud was more painful than the forced sex, because it was a victory for Sephiroth, who was thinking Cloud had surrendered himself.

A scene after scene of sex and violence Cloud felt himself merging into the image of himself. He became less of an observer, more of a victim of the abuse. Until he was on his knees, his whole body rocking in rhythm with Sephiroth.

"Your kindness saved me Cloud." Sephiroth's voice whispered in his ear and much to Cloud's surprise, it was not a voice full of hatred. There was something warm, almost human in that voice, "And that's why, You shall forever be mine."

Cloud felt sharp pain echo all the way through his body, as this memory of Sephiroth shoved himself deep inside of him.

"I had no meaning. I had no family, no mother, no father." A hot groan warmed the side of Cloud's face, as Sephiroth pressed his stomach close to Cloud' back, "Why did you have to embrace me when I wanted to take my life? Why did you show a monster like me kindness, when I was at the brink of the abyss?"

Then the memories ended and Cloud fell flat on his stomach on the floor. He was naked, both his body and soul were bare and vulnerable. He was like a child without childhood. Every part of his body wanted to be loved, but none of him deserved love. And even if he had deserved it, he would have felt too disgusted by thoughts of intimacy.

Something warm was falling down between Cloud's buttocks. It was what remained of Sephiroth, exiting his body in a thick stream of white. However, something remained. A slumbering memento of Sephiroth that would be stuck under his skin.

Cloud screamed into his hands. The room faded into darkness. Cloud had no strength to pull himself out of this empty place.

"Stop it, Zack!"

-

Zack punched at a wall, the skin on his knuckles torn and bleeding. Tifa stood behind her, arms at her hips and an angry look on her heart-shaped face. They were standing outside in a back alley, behind the Seventh Heaven. Zack had ran out, as he couldn't bear the motionlessness of Cloud.

"You're not doing anyone any good by beating yourself up." Tifa tapped her feet on the ground.

"I let him down." Zack let his forehead fall on the wall, "If I'd just been a second faster."

Tifa huffed, "It doesn't matter now. What's done is done."

"I should've killed Dr. Hojo."

"Listen to yourself."

Zack pulled himself up and turned to look at the dark-haired woman. He realized that she didn't look as mad as she was sad. Zack wasn't the only one hurting. She had seen Cloud get hurt before, and this time must not have been any easier.

"Man, this sucks." Zack attempted to calm down, "There must be something we can do, right?"

"I hope so. I asked Aerith to check up on him. She's experienced in healing and potions, so maybe she'll figure something out."

Zack felt reassured by Tifa's words. Cloud's condition could be something that would come to pass quickly. Or if not, they could always try to seek help somewhere. Even in the slums, there must have been someone with experience in medicine. Or then he'd go back to Shinra, kidnap Dr. Hojo and force him to undo the damage.

And if Cloud's condition was because of some form of Mako poisoning, it hadn't killed him yet. And because it hadn't killed him yet, the chances were that the Mako would just exit his system in due time. Meanwhile Zack needed to make sure that he would stay by his side and wait for him to recover.

The most important part was that Cloud was now safe and with Zack. Everything else would surely sort itself out with time.

A sound of rapid footsteps echoed behind a corner, until Aerith poked her head into view. She was out of breath, and her face was pale.

"Cloud, he's-...!"

Zack didn't need to hear anything else. He dashed past Aerith, his shoulder brushing past her as she dodged just in time.

He circled around the building and burst in the Seventh Heaven. The customers got startled and one of them dropped from his chair. They were cursing and yelling, but Zack didn't care. He leapt up the stairs, thinking that not again, I shouldn't have left him alone again.

The window was open, the thin curtains moving gently with the breeze. Zack stood in the doorway and stared at Cloud. A thin blanket was pulled all the way up his shoulders, his lithe naked body unmoving under the fabric. His eyes were closed and his usual frown had been washed away by a restlessness. He looked like he was sleeping.

Zack sat down on the bed, his eyes never leaving Cloud's face. That amazing wheat coloured hair was moving with the gentle wind that was visiting through the window. Cloud's chest was barely rising as he breathed. At least he wasn't dead.

With slow movements, Zack took Cloud's cheek in his palm. The skin of the man was cold and his lips were turning blue. He had a pulse, but that too had slowed down. He was in hibernation. Perhaps an effect of Mako poisoning. But Zack feared it was something worse, and something he didn't have a cure for.

Tifa and Aerith had entered the room, but they stood in silence in the corner. None of them knew what to say. Cloud was there with them, but at the same time, he wasn't. Zack had never felt more lost.

"Man, Shinra's getting really nasty."

Zack didn't even bother to look at Roche, who was limping inside. The man leaned against the wall, his wounds healing under Aerith's bandages and with the power of herbal treatment.

"Cloud, he..." Roche shook his head, "Even though it's not the same at all, I feel like I went through something like that. I can tell from the smell."

"What?!" Tifa exclaimed, "Then you know how to fix him!"

Zack also turned to look at Roche. He dug out Cloud's hand from under the blanket and held onto it. It was cold and small in comparison to Zack's big and roughed up hand.

"Ooh, well I wish it was that easy." Roche massaged the back of his neck.

"You mean what happened back at the mission." Zack said solemnly, "You were affected by Mako, somehow."

"Yes… it was horrible. I never got to tell even Cloud that, it took me an eternity to wrap my head around what had transpired. Especially after I..." Roche found it hard to come by words to describe how he'd taken an innocent life. Zack felt sympathy for him.

"We can't change the past." Aerith said knowingly, as if she'd been there and sawn how Roche slaughtered a young boy, "We can just learn from our mistakes and do our best in the future."

Zack glanced back at Cloud. He remembered the first time they met and the first fight they fought together. That's how Cloud was supposed to be- alive and fighting. This static existence seemed unfitting for him.

"Zack, after you left the car during that mission…" Roche cleared his throat, "Before our rendezvous, the driver suddenly parked. I can't remember the faces, but someone came in the car and injected something in my neck. Last thing I can remember is the intense taste of pure Mako in my mouth.

"After that, I came only after you punched me and threw me off. Even then, I was completely in a haze. The rush of adrenaline, ahh… it was so intoxicating. But then I came crashing down." Roche sniffed the air once more, "But this smell that is about Cloud, it's the smell of that same Mako. It's nothing I've ever smelled on this planet before. That, ladies and gentlemen, I cannot ever forget."

"I can't smell it." Tifa inhaled the air loudly.

"It must be something you can pick up only after you've experienced it first hand." Zack assumed, as he couldn't smell the Mako either.

"Never mind that." Tifa gave up, "You survived. How?"

"To be honest, that I do not know. After a week or so, I woke up in Shinra infirmary. They told me nothing. But I felt horrible, like the worst hangover had befallen me. And not only a hangover, but I felt weak. Even now, it feels like there's no Mako in me, but no strength of a SOLDIER."

Zack rubbed the back of Cloud's hand with his thumb, "They wanted me dead. And they used this chance to experiment with a new kind of a drug."

"That's the conclusion I've come to as well." Roche's eyes looked sad, "But then, the Shinra Tower happened. The SOLDIERs went crazy and we were sent to fight them. It felt too orchestrated - as if someone had wanted to destroy Shinra from the inside by pitting us against each other. I was on the verge of giving up."

Sephiroth, Zack thought, but even then, it made no sense. What were they expecting to happen by injecting the same thing into Cloud. Something didn't make sense, unless…

"It's a coup at Shinra. Sephiroth may or may not have anything with it, but he needs Cloud to fulfil some kind of a plan." Zack was saying things as they came to his mind, thinking of the last images of crawling, blood-covered Sephiroth, "The way he tried to get to Cloud was not normal. It was like his life had depended on it."

Roche shrugged his shoulders, he had no answers. Aerith left the room, excusing herself quietly. Tifa seemed like she was about to scream in frustration. Zack simply stared at Cloud's face, seeing a hint of a wrinkle appear in between his eyebrows. He wondered what the man was dreaming about. He hoped it was a good dream.

"Can you leave us for a while." Zack asked.

"Of course." Tifa nodded her head and grabbed Roche on her way out, "Let's discuss later. We'll figure this thing out together."

They closed the door behind them gently. Zack took off his boots and laid down on his side next to Cloud. He saw how those small nostrils widened as air gently flowed through them. The serenity on his face was beautiful and it calmed down Zack's worries. If Cloud wasn't worried, Zack wouldn't be either.

He placed his arm around Cloud's chest and pulled the man close to him. His other arm he snaked under Cloud's neck, and hooked it around his head. Holding him so close to him felt like he had come home. He hoped that Cloud could feel him, how he tried to keep him safe and warm. And maybe he would come back to him, if he just held him close enough.

"I love you, Cloud." Zack said, and he meant it, "Don't worry. I'm with you."

He buried his face in that perfect mess of hair, breathing in the scent of Cloud. For now, he could relax for a moment. But he knew he needed to figure things out. There must have been something that he could do to help Cloud. And there was also the looming danger of Shinra enterprise collapsing and the fallout that would entail.

Zack let his fingers get lost in Cloud's hair.

"I'll bring you back. You just wait and see."

-

After lying in bed with Cloud for a couple of hours, Zack went downstairs to check up on the others. The bar was quiet, Barret had driven everyone out. Aerith was eating soup with Marlene, sitting by the counter, while Tifa nursed a drink on the other side. Roche was playing flipper, while Barret stood next to him, waiting for his turn at the arcade game.

Zack took a seat next to Aerith by the counter and Tifa immediately fixed him a drink. It was whiskey on the rocks. Zack couldn't remember the last time he'd had a drink. And right now he felt like he needed it more than ever.

"How's he?" Tifa asked.

Zack took a sip of the whiskey, grimacing at the sharpness of the taste, "Peaceful. Thankfully."

"I've heard some news from the topside." Tifa sounded solemn, "It sounds like things are grim. No one knows what will come of Shinra. The reactors are running for now, but the governing body is in disarray. The president Shinra is missing and apparently his son, Rufus Shinra, is trying to take the reins."

"Rufus Shinra… he's a ruthless fellow, as far as I know."

"Yes." Tifa sighed and pressed her glass against her cheek, "And that's not all… They've made Avalanche the scapegoats for the destruction of Sector 0. The explosion at the Tower is now labelled as a ruthless terrorist attack by Avalanche. Can you imagine that?"

It wasn't hard to imagine Shinra would want to pin the blame on someone outside of the organization. This new Mako drug and the SOLDIERs that fought against each other. It was hardly something Shinra would want to see in a cover of the tabloid magazines. Zack didn't know if the Shinra Tower had been set to self-destruct or if someone wanted to upset a power balance. All options were on the table at the moment.

"Any news of Sephiroth?"

"All just rumours, but nothing concrete. Some people said they saw him exit the ruins of Shinra Tower. But that's all."

Tifa shook her head. She finished her drink and turned around to do wash dishes. Zack turned to look at Aerith, who was laughing at something Marlene had said. Her expression became more serious as she realized Zack was watching her.

"You checked up on him, right? What's your verdict?"

"Zack, it's honestly nothing I've ever seen before." Aerith admitted, "I've seen overdoses of all kinds here, but this is not the same. He's drifted away completely. We have no choice but to wait and see if his condition improves."

Zack didn't like the answer as it left him none the wiser. He gulped down his drink. The alcohol barely affected him. Feeling exhausted, he bid his friends goodnight. All he wanted was to be close to Cloud and fall asleep next to him.

The guest room was cold. Zack walked to close the window. Cloud hadn't moved an inch on the bed, his hibernation undisturbed. Zack smiled, as he took off his sword and placed it against the wall, next to the bed. Then he removed shirt and pants, and slipped under the covers wearing only his boxers.

He recreated his hold around Cloud and got as close as possible. This time he felt slightly more excited because their naked upper bodies rubbed against each other. He hoped that Cloud wouldn't mind. He didn't want to become the monster Sephiroth had tried to convince him he was.

Speaking of monsters, Zack couldn't help but start to feel slightly aroused. But he would never do anything to trespass any boundaries, especially when Cloud was in no condition to give him his consent.

Zack fell asleep in an instant. It had been a long day.

But what felt like a second later, Zack's eyes snapped open. It took him only a heartbeat to realize Cloud was gone. Zack leaped out of the bed and grabbed the Buster sword. The door was open. Cloud must have gone out. At that point Zack realized he had slept only for a couple of hours.

Zack had his hand on the railing of the downward facing staircase but something made him stop. He didn't know whether he sensed it or if he'd heard a faint footstep on the roof of the building. Turning around, he saw a wooden ladder at the other end of the small hallway that separated the rooms. Without further ado, he climbed up.

The air outside was cold even by Midgar's standards. Above the metal plates split the slums from the heavens, reminding the residents of their lowliness.

Cloud was standing in the middle of the roof, looking at something far off in the distance. He was fully naked, but fortunately it was such an early morning that the slum drunks had passed out and the early birds were still fast asleep and there was no one to see him in all of his beauty. And even then, they were hidden behind a neon light sign of Seventh Heaven.

Zack was reminded of how they'd snuck up to the roof of Cloud's dorm. That relatively innocent moment they'd shared had turned out to be the moment everything Zack had ever wanted, like being a honored Shinra SOLDIER, had been re-evaluated. The world stopped revolving around himself and his selfish needs, and now it was about Cloud.

"Hey, it's cold up here. We should go back to bed." Zack tried gently.

Cloud's gaze stayed at the distance. When Zack came closer, the blond man lifted his arm and pointed at something beyond Midgar's borders. Oddly, his naked body was not shivering at all in the cold. There was a sense of resolve in the way he stood tall, finger pointed at a distant location.

"What is it?" Zack tried to see what he was pointing at, "Do you see something?"

Cloud's eyes were more closed than open. His lips were moving, but sound was stuck inside. Zack tried to make out what he was saying.

"Ni… b… el… heim…"

After finally being able to pronounce the word, Cloud collapsed. Zack dropped his sword to catch him mid-fall. He picked the man up and looked at the horizon, and the Badlands outside of the slums. The dying desert was now calling him, too. The answers to everything laid somewhere far away from Midgar.

Zack now knew where he needed to go.

-

Back in their room, Zack was surprised to find Tifa, folding clothes on the bed. She was clad in a long night gown, her hair pulled up in a long ponytail. A sense of grogginess was apparent in her.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to spy on you, but I heard Cloud go on the roof." She spoke quietly.

Zack said nothing, as he placed Cloud back on the bed. The clothes Tifa had collected on the bed were for Cloud. Old jumper and a set of sweatpants. Both of them seemed to be a size or two too large for Cloud, but it would be better than nothing.

She sat down next to Cloud, her eyes downcast as she seemed to battle sadness greater than life. Zack respected her feelings, because she had been there when her and Cloud's hometown had fallen. She had witnessed horror firsthand and seen how a man could destroy another from the inside.

"You need to take him back." Tifa's voice was ridden with longing, "Back to Nibelheim."

"Yeah. It seems that way."

"I wish I could come with you. But I have a feeling that something really bad is going to happen here. Shinra is after us and I have a duty of protecting the Sector 8 slums and everyone here."

Zack nodded his head, "I hate to say it, but I agree. Shinra won't let this go unchecked. Are you gonna be okay though?"

"It's not our first rodeo." Tifa snickered, "We'll be fine. The Sector 8 slums need us. And not only Sector 8… perhaps all of them."

Zack helped the clothes on Cloud, before he clad himself. While pulling his shirt over his head, he thought of Shinra. The threat of a retaliation was a real one. Not to mention Sephiroth, who Zack doubted was dead. As far as he knew Sephiroth, he was a machine. It would take much more than the damage he'd dealt him.

"Here, take this." Tifa handed Zack car keys, "The Shinra truck is at the back. It should get you through the Badlands easily."

Zack thanked her and pocketed the keys. He strapped his sword on his back, picked up Cloud and he was ready to embark to the journey towards Nibelheim. Or what was left of Nibelheim.

"Please, just… bring Cloud back safe." Tifa spoke to Zack, halfway out of the door.

"Don't worry, Tifa!" Zack turned around for the last time, his unwavering confident smile stronger than ever, "We'll be back before you know it. Then we'll kick some Shinra asses together. All of us."

Tifa's worry morphed slowly into a tired smile. Zack could tell that she believed in him.


	10. Chapter 10

Cloud's head was resting against the passenger side window, the seatbelt keeping his body upright. It was a blessing that they had set out as early as they did, as the roads out of the slums were empty of other vehicles. Zack sped down the highway, the Shinra pickup truck felt lightweight under him. The sun was rising in the East, its rays bringing the shine out of Cloud's hair.

In the rearview mirror, the scenery of Midgar was getting smaller. The city looked different without its crown jewel, the Shinra Tower. Now the plate above the slums looked like they stood without their guardian. The farther they drove, the less Zack felt like a SOLDIER any more.

Zack glanced at Cloud's direction occasionally, making sure that he looked comfortable. He had adjusted the seat backward slightly, so Cloud could lean back into it. His eyes stayed closed, but he would occasionally let out an audible breath. Zack only hoped that his consciousness was in a happy place.

The phone in Zack's pocket rang. He fished it out and saw Tseng's name on the screen. He decided not to answer.

However, throughout their ride, Tseng didn't give up. Eventually Zack picked up the call with a groan, as he grew irritated with the vibrating device in his pocket.

" _Finally. I knew you were still alive._ "

"Now's not a good time." Zack sighed, "I'm not in Midgar anymore."

" _I thought you might be out of town. It's probably better that way._ "

Tseng's typically sharp voice sounded defeated. The Turks must have been knee-deep in sorting out the mess caused by the SOLDIERs fighting each other and the Shinra Tower falling.

Zack felt sorry for Tseng. Even though they were first and foremost colleagues, Zack could tell that Tseng had taken a friendly liking on him. Probably because Zack would be there to pick up his calls and help him in getting his dirty work done. He tried to be nice with Tseng, which probably was something rare to encounter as a Turk.

" _Look, I don't have much time. It's a hot mess here right now. SOLDIERs are killing each other and Shinra's executive level is undergoing a makeover._ "

"Avalanche didn't blow up the Tower. You know that, right?"

" _You mean that tiny rebel coalition? Of course they didn't, how could they? It was a setup, an inside job._ "

Zack swallowed hard, "Why'd Shinra do this to SOLDIERs? Their own folks?"

" _I heard that Hojo was experimenting with a drug. It had a promising effect on some SOLDIERs, making their capabilities even better in battle._ " Tseng paused, probably stopping to think whether he should divulge Shinra's mess to Zack, " _But as you realize, it backfired. Now it seems like someone at Shinra is weeding out the weak SOLDIERs. I think the aim is to create puppets for Sephiroth_."

"Puppets…"

" _That's all I know. But tis' not why I called._ "

Zack thought of Roche, and the other SOLDIERs that had gone berserk. Had it all been just an experiment? He had figured this could be the case, but to hear the confirmation from Tseng made him feel sick. Human life wasn't worth shit to Shinra. Everyone was expendable.

"What is it, Tseng?" Zack pressed his phone between his ear and shoulder, as he steered the car down towards a smaller road, "I'm off the list. I'm done with Shinra."

" _This may cost me my life, but I need to warn you._ "

Zack slowed down, coming to a stop by the road. He wondered if Tseng was just buying time so that Shinra could locate his phone. He jumped out the car and looked around him, but saw no helicopters or Shinra vehicles around him. Just the dryness of the Badlands and winds of sand.

" _You're with Mr. Strife, aren't you?_ " Tseng's voice had become almost a whisper.

"Why do you ask?"

" _He is in grave danger. And so are you, if you're with him. They've already sent the Turks after you two, as well as SOLDIER who pulled themselves through_."

Zack hit his palm on the hood, "What do you mean?! So you're after us?"

" _Rufus Shinra… he wants to get his hands on Cloud._ "

Rufus Shinra, the heir of Shinra Corporation. Out of all the people in this universe, why did _he_ want Cloud? Sephiroth he could understand with his perversions and need to possess, but Rufus Shinra was a company man. His every effort would be to make Shinra more formidable.

" _It seems like Sephiroth incepted something inside of Mr. Strife. A 'power' of some sort, and when awoken, he could bring forth great ruin. The substance given to SOLDIERS to make puppets out of them seems to be derived from the same thing Cloud is equipped with. But this puppet-maker drug is manufactured to give control over SOLDIERs._ "

"Man, that makes no sense!" Zack watched the peacefully slumbering Cloud through the car's windshield, "He's just a kid. A scrawny one at that."

" _You need to keep him safe. Should he fall into either Sephiroth or Shinra's hands, I'm sure it would spell the end of life as we know it._ "

"I need to get to the west continent."

" _West? Why? Well, I suppose it's better than staying anywhere near Midgar._ " Tseng paused to contemplate, " _Look. Go to Junon and I can arrange for you a lift to Costa del Sol._ "

"Won't that be dangerous for you? Helping out a runaway SOLDIER like me?"

" _Just go to Junon._ "

There was a sound of door opening and footsteps on the other end of the line. Tseng hung up without saying his goodbyes. He must have taken a great risk when contacting Zack and giving him a heads-up. Bad times were ahead and Tseng had sensed it.

Zack leaned his forehead against the hood, as he doubled over and groaned. All he wanted was to get Cloud back to normal and retire in a beach side villa, with Cloud in his arms. But it seemed like there was a long road ahead of them. And Shinra on their heels to boot.

Zack went back inside the car. He reached out to touch Cloud, finding his hand in his lap and entwined their fingers. No matter how long the road and how many troubles in the horizon, they had each other. And while they had each other, they could overcome anything that the world, Sephiroth or Shinra would throw at them.

Zack leaned over towards Cloud and pulled his head against his chest. He recharged his will to fight by inhaling the scent of Cloud. He ruffled his hair, before he adjusted Cloud back into a comfortable slouching position on his seat.

"We'll fight to the eeend…!" Zack sung, as he started the engine and hit the pedal.

And thus continued their journey toward Nibelheim, driving along the snaking roads through the Badlands, toward South where he could catch a ferry, or an airship, to the western continent and to Nibelheim.

-

Zack's eyes were unblinking as he drove through the day. The mountain roads that separated Midgar from the Southern regions of the continent were treacherous. He wished Cloud had been mentally with him to see the sights as the mountains cleared out and roads blended with a more even terrain.

But Cloud's physical presence was as quiet as ever, shaking with the movements of the car. Zack couldn't wait to see that small, almost non-existent smile on his face.

Tseng had told him to head to Junon, which made him feel suspicious. The place was a Shinra military base. Any sane person in Zack's shoes would have steered away from a place like that. But he had limited options and an ocean to cross.

The daylight had fled hours ago, and Zack saw on the car's dashboard that it was past midnight. The darkness was broken by the headlights drawing upon a straight highway that broke through the unlit greenery. According to a map of Gaia Zack had memorized in his head, Junon wasn't too far away. His aching back reminded him of a need to take a break and refuel their vehicle.

A sign on the side of the road told Zack a gas station was nearby. As he came up to it, he pulled over and steered the car to a gas pump. He jumped out of the car, shaking his numb legs. He knew he couldn't stay for long, but it felt good to walk and get the blood flowing in his body.

He went around the car and grabbed the fuel dispenser. While gas was pumping into the car, he looked to the sigh and Cloud's head that was pressed against the window. His breath condensed in a vapour on the glass.

The car was refueled and Zack went inside to pay. A bell above the door rang as he stepped in, alerting a sleepy cashier behind the counter. A young woman straightened her posture and fastened her brown hair up on a ponytail.

"How can I help you?" She rubbed her eyes and blinked several times before she took in the sight of Zack. She gasped and covered her mouth with her hands, "Y-you! A SOLDIER! And none other than Zack Fair!"

Zack grimaced. Typically he wouldn't have minded a fawning fan, but any extra attention thrown at his way could jeopardize their whole mission.

"Look, I just fueled the car and I need to get going."

"Just a second!" She pulled out pen and paper and bowed her head, "I'm a huge fan of yours! I… I used to work for Shinra but right now I'm making ends meet here at this petrol station. But someday I want to become just like you - a hero of the planet!"

Zack's heart sunk when he recognized a younger version of himself in the reflection of her eyes. He'd once been like that - he had wanted to become exactly like Sephiroth. He wanted to be strong and adored, and ended up becoming just that. What good had that ever done for him? The way Shinra liked to portray their 1st class SOLDIERs was as epic war heroes so the younger generation would strive to become one.

But now he had discarded his duty. A SOLDIER was to be loyal to Shinra, but now his loyalties lied only with Cloud. It was shameful to have her adoration, because he was not worth it.

"Look, I'm the person you think I am." Zack said in defeat, _war heroes like me and Sephiroth are just Shinra's marketing gimmick_.

She looked at him through her big round eyeglasses. She didn't seem to believe Zack. And to be fair, if anyone had told him the same when he was younger, he would have not either.

"C'mon girl, leave the man be."

A man came out from a room at the back. He had short dirty blond hair and wore goggles as a headband. His unshaven look was completed by wrinkles on his forehead and a cigarette hanging from the corner of his mouth.

"That's okay." Zack said with a half-smile, "I just need to be on my way so I'd appreciate it if you'd take my money."

"Don't need your money." The man grunted and folded his arms above his chest, "But it seems like you're in need of some help of mine."

Zack arched his eyebrow at the man.

"I haven't really seen eye-to-eye with Shinra lately and I've been laying low. The damn Turks however won't let me be and are now twisting my arm to help a certain runaway SOLDIER."

Zack connected the dots quickly and realized that this man was supposed to be his and Cloud's means of crossing the ocean. Tseng really had his way of persuading people.

"Was just about to head to Junon, but this saves me the trouble. And most likely both of our lives. I hate that place and everyone in there hates me. Those goddamn Shinra bastards stealing my patents and inventions, I'm getting _real_ tired of their shit. I swear I'll never-..."

"Wait, how can I know I can trust you?" Zack cut the man's rambling short, "Oddly convenient to find a helping hand in the middle of nowhere like this."

"Smart kid, aren't you. Name's Cid Highwind." Cid rubbed his nose with his thumb and offered his hand out to Zack, "Pleasure to meet you."

Zack shook the hand hesitantly, "Cid Highwind… from the Shinra space program?"

"A SOLDIER like you would remember! Matter of fact, I remember seeing you in Junon. You were about to set out on a mission. Good old times, right? Man, to think a SOLDIER such as you, Zack Fair, have decided to fuck it." Cid laughed dryly, "Things really change and loyal company men become cynical of the hand that feeds them." Cid smiled broadly and turned to the woman by the counter, "Shera, we'll be heading out. Close down this place."

"Should I go check the engines?" She asked.

"Yeah, and also check the rear wing. It gave a suspicious rattle yesterday."

Shera nodded her head and smirked, "I'll put some more duct tape on it" Zack hoped she was kidding.

"It better not fall off during the flight!"

Cid went out through the door and Zack followed suit. The bell chimed upon their exit and echoed in the dead of night. The Shinra wagon was still parked by the gas pump and Cloud remained just like had been previously - peaceful and immobile against the car window. Zack knew Cid wouldn't question their getaway vehicle.

"Nice ride. There's a hangar behind the station, so just drive it there. It's quite dark, but you should be able to find it." Cid instructed, before shoving his hands in his pockets and walking out to the back.

Zack dropped back behind the steering wheel. It turned on with a gentle purr, the dashboard illuminated by lights and a full fuel meter.

"Good news, Cloud!" Zack spoke to Cloud, as he steered the car behind the station, "We're getting a lift. I was worried for a second that we'd have to swim across." Zack poked at Cloud's cheek, "Imagine that. It would have been difficult even for me."

The Shinra van had no trouble in dealing with a rocky off-road behind the station. Zack tried to look around for the hangar but saw nothing. Cid wasn't lying about the darkness either, as it was so thick that everything beyond the headlights' imminent vicinity was as good as nonexistent.

Zack felt the surface below them turn from rocks and soil to something more solid. It sounded like metal, as he slowed down on it. He quickly reversed and pulled back.

There was a knock on his window. Shera was outside of the car, a flashlight and a ghastly illumination on her round face. Zack rolled down the window and shot the young woman with a questioning look.

"Cid probably forgot to say that the hangar is underground. We had to hide our airships there so that Shinra wouldn't find them." She explained.

"Alright? So should we just wait here?"

"Yes. We'll get a couple of things sorted out. You should reverse a bit more so you won't be sucked in when we open the hangar doors." She took half a step to leave, but then turned back, "Is he… like that, because of Shinra?"

Zack looked over to Cloud who she was referring to. His lips were parted only slightly, his arms relaxed on his sides and hands came to rest on his lap. The wind from the inside brought life to his hair, which waved back and forth against his forehead.

"Yeah… something like that." Zack replied with a sigh, with his gaze returning to the curious woman.

"I'm sorry for what I said earlier. About wanting to be exactly like you." Shera bit her bottom lip, "The truth is - I know Shinra is no good. But that didn't stop me from looking up to you. Cid always said not to worship the SOLDIER, but…"

"That's okay, I understand. I used to be exactly the same." Zack half-smiled and leaned back, his hands relaxed on the steering wheel.

"Really?" Her expression brightened slightly, but she held on to her scepticism, "I suppose reality is much more than what we read on the news or the faces we look up to on the posters on our walls." She turned to leave for good this time, "Now then, take care. Zack Fair."

"You too."

Zack closed his eyes briefly. Idols and dreams. When did Zack stop loving his life at Shinra? It all must have happened way before the encounter with Sephiroth in Shinra's basement and his mindless slaughter. Somewhere in the back of his head he must have known he was following false ideologies shown to him by Shinra. This company had given him purpose in his life, they had put his name on the lips of people. But ultimately he had known for a good while that he had been in the wrong.

His head rolled to the side so he could look at Cloud once more. He would never put any blame on Cloud for deserting Shinra and the SOLDIER. Perhaps their meeting had been a tipping point, but the thoughts of quitting had been brewing in him already. Finally the pieces of the puzzles had clicked in his head and he realized that fighting wars and accomplishing missions in the name of Shinra was a hollow life and he wanted something more.

"No longer a loyal little puppy I assume." Zack spoke quietly to Cloud, "I wonder how it feels to be free? No Shinra to tell you what to do and where to be. Would you want to be free with me, Cloud?"

Cloud said nothing but Zack swore he saw his fingers twitch. That was confirmation enough for him.

-

Zack must have zoned out or fallen asleep, as he was startled out of his thoughts by a rumbling sound of the hangar doors opening. Dust particles danced wildly in the air caught by the car's headlights. The ground before them split in half and Zack was relieved he had followed Shera's advice and left enough space between them and the hangar doors.

The metal hangar doors squeaked as they opened fully and pebbles of rocks dropped onto the depths below.

Zack watched in awe as a magnificent airship ascended from below. Its white metal plates shone even in the darkness, though some parts of it seemed like they had seen better days. Its propellers spun vehemently, tugging the vehicle higher in the air. Its heavy main bridge connected to a smaller cargo area which tipped close to them and opened for them to drive the car inside.

Immediately when the car was parked in the cargo, the airship took to the skies. Zack made sure the handbrake was tightly pulled up, before he exited the car. He went around and opened Cloud's side of the door, and heaved his companion out of the car.

"Time to stretch your limbs, babe." Zack said jokingly, as he shifted Cloud in his arms to get a good grip around his legs and behind his neck.

An elevator took them up to the deck, where Cid stood behind the helm, a wide smile on his face. They broke through the clouds, which revealed a star dotted sky behind them. Zack went closer to a window at the front and with Cloud in his arms watched in awe at the faraway galaxies and lights that shone at them from thousands of light years away. Everything he had ever wanted seemed so distant and alien. Now everything he wished for under the stars was in his arms, but it was so unlike how he wanted.

 _We can see stars in Gongaga, my hometown_ , a stray thought invaded his mind, _once we finish this business_ , _I should ask if Cloud would like to go there with me. Not only there, but anywhere in Gaia._

"Pretty, ain't it?" Cid asked from behind the helm, spinning it to turn the airship around, "Welcome to Highwind. This beast flies through the skies smoother than any damned Shinra airship. And we rigged it with Shera so it flies easily under the radar."

"I should thank you for helping us out. And you haven't even asked any questions."

Cid huffed and scratched his nose, "Look, whatever your beef with that blasted Shinra is, I don't care. But just know this - I'm proud for turning my back at Shinra and living my own life. I'm sure you'll also realize this, if not now then later. Somethin' like that is not worth dying for."

"Worth dying for…?" Zack peeked down at Cloud's face that rested against his chest, "Yeah, it all seems very pointless all of a sudden."

"Damn right it does."

Zack had bent over backwards to save Cloud from Shinra. And now he was travelling with him across the country, hanging onto a thin thread of hope of Cloud's recovery. But would he be ready to die for this man?

Zack placed a quick kiss on Cloud's forehead, turning slightly so that Cid couldn't see what he was doing. The man in his arms started to feel heavy, but Zack was ready to carry the burden.

"What have you done to me?" Zack smiled gently and whispered quietly to Cloud, "What a sucker for you I am all of a sudden."

"Love is important." Cid must have either read Zack's thoughts or heard his mutters to Cloud, "It's perhaps the only escape from our fucking mundane existance. Don't lose sight of it."

Cid seemed to speak from past experience. Zack took a note of his words.

"Once this is all over. We'll find our freedom." Zack told Cloud, "Just the two of us. Escaping our mundane existence."


	11. Chapter 11

Cloud was lying on the ground, as Sephiroth pinned him down. He had stopped begging for the violence to end. He now only wished to die, as his body was ruined by this memory. The stain of shame spread from inside, like black ink staining water. Cloud was dirty and wretched. Even when this man was forcing himself inside him, he'd never felt less loved.

Sephiroth's semen was mixed with Cloud's blood, as the man came on Cloud's face. The substance stuck to his eyelids and some of it ended up in his mouth. It tasted sour and thick, provoking a reflux in Cloud's throat.

Another patch of darkness ensued. It was like the memory of Sephiroth was regaining his strength in between the acts, until he was ready to release himself on Cloud's body, inside his mouth or deep inside his ass. Or maybe it was a moment of respite, a mercy for Cloud whose body and mind could only take so much.

Cloud felt pain, but more than that, he felt crushed inside. It was like he was not a human, but an object. He had no say in how he should be treated. Sephiroth's dark fantasy was all there was and it was all Cloud was good for.

" _Every one of us has to taste death._ "

That's what Sephiroth said with a voice ridden with sadness, when he picked up Cloud from the darkness. Multiple memories blended into one - a time when Sephiroth had been more of an idol or a mentor, with a time that he had become a monster to Cloud.

They were once again back in the library. This time it was on fire and shelves at the back were collapsing. Books were tinder for the flames, crackling as they were eaten by the flames. There were syringes on the floor, but Cloud didn't know if he had used them or if Sephiroth had doped himself up.

Cloud remembered how he and Tifa had tried to escape. But Sephiroth had caught him and with Mako-infused fire, set Nibelheim aflame.

" _I was ready to die, Cloud. But now I want to live forever, in the Promised Land with you."_

Sephiroth pushed Cloud's back against a bookshelf and tied his legs around his waist. Cloud moaned quietly, as the tip of Sephiroth's penis pressed against his entrance. What he hated the most is that he would get hard whenever Sephiroth was inside of him. No matter how much he willed his body to react differently, his dick didn't care about the suffering of his mind.

Sephiroth pushed inside slowly, Cloud's back pressing against the hard shelves behind him. Large hands held his glutes, pulling them apart, while that big hard member entered and exited in slow motions. Cloud let out a long sad moan, as Sephiroth found the spot inside of him, which sparked pleasure in midst of the horrors happening to his body.

This time the man's motions were much more gentle than before. What's more, Sephiroth's lips were close to Cloud's, his breath heavy against his skin. With a forward thrust inside Cloud, the man killed the distance between their faces and caught Cloud in a devouring kiss.

Cloud whimpered into Sephiroth's mouth, as the man's grip on his glutes grew sharper. The kiss was a symbol of ownership, an act of stripping the last pieces of dignity from this man whose body had been thoroughly reclaimed by this beast.

" _You are mine. Together, we shall destroy this planet and transcend to a place, made just for us. I am the orchestrator of the end, while you are the catalyst. Only our power united can bring about the Promised Land._ "

And that was the only thing Sephiroth seemed to want- to ravage and destroy. Like he had destroyed Cloud's home, his life and his future. This burning library was just one thing of Cloud's past that was engulfed by the flames. Perhaps it was better for Cloud to give up for good and finally taste death.

" _Don't you try to run away from it, ever again._ " Sephiroth's voice was husky and threatening.

A blast of light shot at them and drove Sephiroth back. Cloud fell on the floor, his body aching after Sephiroth's assault. He had to close his eyes in the presence of the burning light. It was sunny, but it was too close. Even though it was better than the darkness and Sephiroth, at the same time it was intimidating, because it was new and powerful.

 _Fight!_ A voice in Cloud's head screamed at him, as Sephiroth tried to fight his way back to him, _Cloud, you must fight and survive_.

He kicked at a hand that was reaching out to him. His senses were suddenly sharp and he knew what to do. He had to survive.

The sensation of pain was pushed away, to be stored for later. He began to run, out of the library and into a spiralling darkness of his mind. There was no real existence, only turns and twist in the nothingness, like a highway of his memories that tried to reach him and coerce him to return to the vile parts of his subconscious. But he would not return. Now, he remembered the pain and suffering and he would live knowing the past. But that place had to die, not Cloud.

He was swept off his feet and fell upward by an invisible hurricane. He gasped for air, as he emerged from darkness. He fought to stay afloat, his will to live reignited. It was like breaking through a surface of a dark ocean of oil, and coming back to earth, where he was able to breathe again. He swam through the black tides and arrived at a shore.

The shore turned out to be the field of flowers. The flora danced with a gentle wind and Cloud felt like the worst had come to pass. The memories were a branded mark in his skin, a shame that rendered him unloveable. But it was important for him to remember, because to forget such an evil was like forgetting what is right and what is wrong.

Something was pulsing inside of Cloud, a feeling that had been resurrected by these memories. It was just beyond his comprehension, a strength that he could not harness.

Cloud turned his head to his side, as he caught a glimpse of something on the edge of his vision. It was a huge gray wolf, slowly creeping up on him. Typically an animal like that would have been scary, but there was something very familiar in its blue eyes.

The dog-like creature sat next to Cloud. The wolf felt like a motherly spirit that had come to visit him from the past, but it was also more than that. It was a reminder of a life he could still obtain in the future. A promise of reuniting with Zack, Tifa and everyone else. It was everything and everyone he had ever loved.

"You saved me, right? Thank you for coming." Cloud said to the wolf, "I'm sorry. I wish I could change the past, but I can't."

The wolf said nothing, but listened keenly. It wanted to carry some of the burdens that had been forced upon Cloud. But the black stain on his soul was not something that could be abolished.

"Don't worry, I feel a lot stronger already." Cloud felt like there was a power within him, but he was not able to command it, "I'm glad I remember now."

The wolf poked at Cloud's cheek with its moist nose. The warmth of the animal was soothing, and Cloud leaned into its soft fur. It was so much like Zack, even though Zack was a human walking on two legs and most definitely not a wolf.

The wind then carried a message to him, _I love you. Don't worry, I'm with you_.

Cloud forgot Sephiroth for a moment, and let himself be protected by the wolf.

-

Cid dropped them off on a meadow that was at the foot of a road that led up to the mountains. The flight had taken them much less time than Zack had anticipated and they were able to make their landing just as the sun was rising in the horizon.

They had exchanged a wordless goodbye, just a nod of their head, as Zack had headed down with the elevator to the cargo area. Cid seemed to be understanding of Zack's lack of words and didn't take his taciturn attitude as rude. Zack simply couldn't stop thinking and worrying about Cloud.

They touched down and Zack drove the car down the cargo ramp. Cloud's head bounced and rolled on his shoulders, as Zack curved onto the road and sped off. Somewhere above them Highwind disappeared into the clouds.

The last stretch of road to Nibelheim was long and tedious. Zack tried to listen to the radio, but each channel played emergency news due to the fall of Shinra. Each news wanted to emphasize to the citizens that energy production was on the line, city-wide blackouts were expected and in case anyone was to run into a SOLDIER, they should immediately go in hiding. Funnily enough, the Shinra infantrymen were reportedly unaffected, but had all gone suspiciously MIA.

Zack thought of the Avalanche and wondered if they would be okay dealing with the mess on their own. In normal circumstances he would have felt irresponsible leaving civilians to fend for themselves, but the lifeless man next to him reminded him of the importance of his mission to the West.

The thoughts of Avalanche sunk in his list of priorities as he thought of things he'd like to discuss with Cloud. He definitely wanted to get to know him better. What was his favourite food? What was his favourite movie? Did he prefer dogs or cats? Zack glanced sidewardly at the man occupying his thoughts and couldn't help but dream of a time when the two of them could just put down their weapons and go down to the beach at Costa del Sol.

"Retirement by the beach. Would it be too much to ask for someone like us?" Zack asked and imagined how Cloud would scowl at him, like he always scowled at people, "We could have some margaritas and just chill all day. You'd need a lot of sun lotion though, you're so pale."

Zack wondered if Cloud's lips moved slightly. When he turned to look at his companion, he figured he had only been seeing things. The sleeping beauty was as quiet and unmoving as ever.

"I want to be with you, at the beach. That's it." Zack smiled and hoped Cloud would hear his simple wish, "I wonder if freedom feels like a holiday."

Zack tapped his fingers against the steering wheel and his heart warmed at the thought of a forever vacation.

-

The morning had progressed into a day and the day into the night. Zack had stopped to refuel once more and also grabbed a cup of coffee at a petrol station. He had been careful not to spend too much time at the place, in case anyone chasing them had already caught their scent.

Behind the wheel Zack fought against fatigue. The scenery became a blur and he needed to blink to keep his focus. After almost hitting a lone wolf crossing the road, he pulled to a stop at a roadside truck stop. He leaned back against his seat and let his eyes close briefly. Flying on Cid's airship had been so much more convenient.

He fell asleep, but only momentarily. After half an hour, his inner alarm clock told him to wake up and keep going. He took a sip of his coffee that was now cold and kept driving. They would reach Nibelheim in a matter of hours. For Cloud's sake, he needed to push through his tiredness.

Cloud was as unmoving as ever, as they curved to an unmaintained road. The rocky road was shaking the vehicle, forcing Zack to hold tightly on the steering wheel. The lights by the side of the road were blackened out- probably not because of lack of energy but because no one drove down this road any more. There was no town of Nibelheim at the end, and no one came to remember the dead to this desolate location.

The stars shone above the car and the large full moon was enough to light the way. The road took them upward to a side of a mountain, a narrow path alongside the rock wall. Zack glanced down at the fall on his side. Going down there with a car would be a swift death for both of them.

The silence of the mountains and heavy presence of the nature around them was like stepping to another dimension from the steel-plated Midgar. It gave Zack perspective of how small life was in Midgar. Everything he knew back at home was a man made wonder, but none of that rivalled the actual wonders of the Planet. The ancient powers that had brought life to everything around them were not present in a city made out of steel.

The rocky mountain road headed downward and ended at a collapsed structure. Zack stopped the engines but left the lights on as he stepped out to see a way forward. The headlights of the car illuminated the dark meadow in front. Driving through the rubble was not an option.

Zack knelt in front of a collapsed sign by the road. He brushed off dirt and soil from it. It was dark, but Zack was able to make out the words carved on its wooden pane.

 _Welcome to Nibelheim_.

"Cloud, we made it!" Zack turned around and his heart leapt to his throat as he saw the passenger side door open, and no Cloud.

He called out the other man's name in the darkness, as he stumbled into the rubble. It was pieces of charred wood left behind collapsed houses. The fire that burnt down Nibelheim must have been too hot to be natural. It must have been foul play that had destroyed the town, just as Tifa had said.

Zack's eyes quickly adjusted to the darkness of the night. As he witnessed the destruction of Nibelheim in its entirety, he felt as though the Goddess herself had abandoned the land. The senseless loss of life in exchange of what- a revenge, or sick satisfaction for a man who had no love for anyone. It was incomprehensible.

Cloud was standing in the middle of the once-Nibelheim, knee-deep in the rubble. Zack approached him slowly.

"Cloud..." Zack spoke the man's name, "If you hear me, come back to me."

-

Cloud suddenly recalled that he had a body and his mind was just one plane of existence. The wolf ran away, as he stood up and looked up at the skies. It was tearing open now, revealing stars and dark whifs of clouds above him.

When his consciousness reconnected with his body, it felt like waking up from a dream. It was like waking up in the middle of a thick deep dream, with a jerk in his feet bringing him abruptly back to life. How long had he been out? And why was he standing under a starlit sky, surrounded in a scenery that was much like home, Nibelheim.

Something warm was in his palm. He lifted his hand to see a pitch black Materia resting in his hand. Immediately Cloud realized what it was- he had read about Black Materia during his time studying at Shinra. It had been just a short mention at the end of a book, but Black Materia was a catalyst to a terrible power. While there were no cases of Black Materia use in the recorded history, it was said that if equipped by a skillful individual, it could bring forth ultimate destructive magic.

And this Black Materia was calling him, singing an evil song in a foreign tongue.

The reason why Cloud came to be in possession with this fabled Materia was beyond him. However, with this Materia he could end the world if he so wished. Only if he knew how to use it, which he fortunately didn't.

 _Together, we'll go to Promised Land_ , it was something Sephiroth must have said before, and somehow Cloud knew this Materia was the key to this cursed paradise.

"Cloud?"

Cloud startled and quickly hid the Materia in the pockets of the trousers he was wearing. Then he slowly turned around to see a man in the darkness. Cloud's stiff shoulders relaxed and a small smile crept upon his lips.

"Zack." He spoke quietly, "I can't believe it… you brought me back?"

Zack rushed to Cloud and pulled him into an embrace. Strong arms around him, Cloud felt surprised by the sudden show of affection. He relaxed in his arms and got the confirmation he needed that he had finally resurfaced from his nightmares. Zack was the only one who could make amends in him.

"I can't believe it more, Cloud." Zack had his nose deep in Cloud's hair, hot air brushing at his scalp, "I thought I'd lost you."

Cloud lifted his arms and wrapped them awkwardly around Zack, "No… Without you, I'm not sure if I'd ever come back."

"I just followed your advice."

Cloud closed his eyes as his cheek pressed against Zack's strong chest. It was so different from Sephiroth's cold embrace. This time he didn't want to fight back and his surrender was not forced, but enticed. Cloud wasn't sure, but it felt like Zack truly loved him and he wanted to love him in return.

Zack put a small distance between them, as he wanted to look down into Cloud's eyes. Those feline eyes saw more than Cloud's skin and sexuality. They saw his weakness and his flaws. But they wanted to look at him nonetheless. This man had bent over backwards to save him from danger, twice now.

"Can I ki-..."

Zack's question was cut short as Cloud tiptoed and pressed his lips against Zack's. He quickly pulled back, suddenly afraid that he'd crossed a line or if his affectionate advances had been unrequited. He was afraid that he had ruined everything with a stupid kiss.

Zack would have none of that and pulled Cloud close to him by his hips and leaned in. Cloud opened his mouth for Zack, whose tongue gently caressed the entrance of his mouth. His lips were soft and he used his teeth only when he kissed down Cloud's chin and arrived at his neck.

"Zack…" Cloud breathed out his name like a prayer, grabbing handfuls Zack's thick black hair. The man was his crutch, his lifeline. If he left now, Cloud may as well return to an empty shell.

Zack's hands ran up and down Cloud's back. The fabric of Cloud's borrowed clothing felt like an unnecessary barrier between them. He only wanted to be close and feel the warmth of this tall man, whose arms were the haven Cloud had hoped they would be.

The softness of Zack's lips on Cloud's applied just the right amount of pressure to imply all the wants and needs that Zack felt towards him. Cloud moaned as his bottom lip was playfully nibbled at and unashamedly collapsed against Zack, only barely supporting his own weight.

"I was so afraid I'd never be able to hold you like this." Zack's hot murmur against Cloud's neck was warm and it sent shivers down Cloud's physical existence.

"Me too."

Without a word Zack pulled back and grabbed Cloud by his hand. He began leading him back toward the car, but as Cloud was about to stumble on a charred plank, he swept him off his feet and carried him the rest of the way.

"Cloud you need to tell me if you want me to stop." Zack told Cloud, as he elbowed open the door to the back seat and threw Cloud inside, "And I promise I'll stop. But if you won't stop me, I'm going to go all the way with you."

Cloud swallowed hard as Zack came on top of him, resuming their kiss. This time Zack was hungrier, his lips sucking and biting at Cloud.

"Z-Zack… Zack..." Cloud repeated the man's name, like it was the only word he knew.

The older man grunted and fumbled at the hem of Cloud's pants. He swiftly pulled them off and tossed them at the floor. Zack sat up between Cloud's feet and pulled the door close. The confined space felt too small, but comfortable at the same time. Cloud wouldn't want any added distance between them. Not any more.

Zack adored Cloud's body. It was just like had imagined when he had first masturbated to the thought of Cloud. This unrivalled beauty, every part of him was symmetrical and so finely made. The proportions of his shoulders, his hips and all the way to his long legs were all too perfect to be true.

Zack lifted Cloud's leg to get a better view of Cloud's hard penis and the hole below his balls. It was unfairly inviting. Cloud covered his face in embarrassment, as he felt a finger gently play with his entrance, without pushing inside. Zack was teasing him by pressing his finger at his hole, but not quite coming inside.

"You like that?" Zack let out a small laugh, "You love that, don't you."

Cloud felt heat rise to his cheeks. Zack bent down and lifted Cloud's lower half so his tongue was able to meet halfway with Cloud's penis. He licked at it briefly, before trailing downwards.

Cloud let out a loud moan as Zack's tongue entered him. His legs shook in the air, as Zack buried his face between his thighs and fought against the tightness of Cloud, urging him to relax. Cloud got increasingly hard, already close to coming.

"Zack, I'm gonna…" Cloud's head rolled back in pleasure.

"Sshh, not yet…" Zack pulled his tongue out of Cloud and smiled at the whimpering man, "We're just getting started, my love."

Zack made quick work to remove both of their shirts, hungry to explore how it would feel to press their naked bodies together. But when Zack opened the zipper of his pants and Cloud could only inspect in awe the thick hard cock that sprung out. It was much bigger than Cloud's, which made him slightly embarrassed. He tried to hide his own erection, but that made Zack let out a disgruntled noise.

"Stop that. You're lovely."

Zack pulled Cloud up and helped him on his lap, his back pressed against Zack's chest. A pair of muscular arms wrapped around Cloud from behind and held him close. Their breaths were shallow and quickened. The air around them was oxygen-deprived and Cloud was feeling light-headed, though mostly for other reasons.

"Cloud, how does it feel?" Zack asked, his fingers gently brushing against his penis.

"It feels…" Cloud gasped, as Zack wrapped his fingers around him and determinedly began massaging him, "...nice, I suppose…"

"Nice?" Zack laughed out loud, "Just _nice_?"

Cloud felt extra embarrassed, but not in a bad kind of way. Zack had a way of making fun of him, without making him feel too conscious of himself. It was more like he was pointing out something cute, which made Cloud want to do it more.

Zack fingered and moistened Cloud's entrance with saliva, making sure that the man was ready for him. He put so much time and effort into it, something Cloud had never thought anyone would do. He had imagined that having sex was supposed to hurt. But his body was a temple for Zack, which he would enter only with permission.

When Zack lifted him up by his hips and pressed inside, the tightness was there but it hurt much less than Cloud had anticipated. He let out a shaking breath as he slid down on that big cock and noticed how the man behind him listened closely to him, ready to call it quits at the first hint of pain or displeasure.

Cloud slid all the way down, guided by the big hands on his hips. He sat on Zack's lap, his whole manhood anchored inside of him. Zack grabbed Cloud's chin and pulled his head back gently, placing a long kiss on his lips.

"I was afraid I'd never be able to hold you like this." Zack spoke into the kiss, while hugging Cloud from behind, "Even more than that… I'm just so happy that you appear to feel the same."

Cloud didn't know what to say, so he only smiled. What a miracle it was that Zack had also looked at Cloud and felt the same burning sensation inside. This man who could have anyone and anything there was on this barren land. But he'd chosen Cloud and chosen to pull him out of the darkness.

Cloud moaned, as Zack began slowly moving inside. The dark haired man was testing the waters, seeing how fast and how hard he could go, following Cloud's moans like speed limit signs.

"Fuck me…" Cloud begged, as Zack's movements were too slow and teasing, "Zack, harder..."

Zack let out a mixture of a laugh and moan. Their seated position was limiting his movements, so he moved with Cloud, adjusting the other one on his knees. Cloud grabbed at a handle at the door, his back arching as he pushed himself against Zack.

"You want it harder?" Zack breathed out, as he positioned himself behind Cloud. He grabbed him by his hips, slowly pulling out of the man who begged him to move faster. He then slammed back inside, "Like that?"

Cloud mewled with pleasure, his head falling limb between his arms that held onto the door. Zack's movements sent internal quakes of pleasure everywhere in Cloud's body.

"I want to give you everything…" Zack's voice was heavy when he whispered next to Cloud's ear, "I want to make you feel good. I don't care for anything else."

"Zack…" Cloud moaned the name, both hoping to stay in this ecstasy forever and to find release soon.

The whole car shook as Zack fucked Cloud. The cries of pleasure that erupted from Cloud's throat were sounds he hadn't known he was capable of making. He'd never expected to be begging and crying for someone to fuck him harder, while building up towards a climax. When Zack caressed his penis while ramming into him, his eyes rolled back and he lost the track of reality. There was nothing but the pleasure and Zack, who could never be close enough.

Cloud came suddenly, soiling the car seat below him with whiteness that kept pumping out of him. He shook and saw static, and Zack could feel the effects of his release as well. He came inside of him, while Cloud was squeezing around him tightly.

"Fuck… Cloud…" Zack moaned as he toppled over Cloud, and squeezed him in an embrace, while he kept coming inside of him. Cloud could feel the pulsating of his cock, as he slowly pulled out.

Zack collapsed on top of Cloud, spinning them around so Cloud found a comfortable position lying on top of Zack.

"Man…" Zack closed his eyes and had a blissful look on his face, "Am I dreaming? Did I just come inside of you?"

Cloud huffed, but then let out a small laugh, "Stupid. It's not a dream."

Zack ruffled Cloud's wild hair, "Hey, don't call me stupid! You should thank me for saving you, like the hero I am."

"Thank you." Cloud fought off Zack's hands that were stuck in his hair, "Mr. _Hero_."

"That sounds better." Zack placed a kiss on Cloud's forehead.

Cloud found himself smiling. What a weird feeling it was to be with Zack. It was so overwhelmingly validating to be in his arms, allowing him to be just himself and not a tool for pleasure or power. This was an adult human relationship with two people, but at the same time it was much more than a fling or a momentary lack of better judgement.

"It's destiny." Cloud accidentally said out loud as the thought resounded in him too loudly.

"I hate to say I told you so." Zack smirked, "But for me, it was clear the moment I saw you. You and me, we are one. Forever."

And for once, a mention of forever did not frighten Cloud.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Please let me know what you think!


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